Summer Writing Series Challenge: Excalibur's Responses

Occlumency training was one of the worst experiences for Harry Potter. Snape was relentless and each of their sessions left Harry drained emotionally. The sessions with his headmaster the polar opposite and in a surprisingly short amount of time he was learning the delicate art of Legilimency.

Harry had become the youngest wizard to master both Legilimency and Occlumency by the end of his sixth year at Hogwarts and the unparalleled success that Harry enjoyed proved to him once and for all that he was a powerful wizard in his own right. His self-esteem reached new heights and his Gryffindor courage roared.

He also experienced a remarkable improvement in his grades at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. By the end of the year, he had increased his academic stature to rival that of Draco Malfoy and thus firmly sealed the enmity of his Slytherin rival.

Harry couldn’t have done it alone. His success was attributed to a particular girl that he’d known from the first time he rode the Hogwarts Express. The only girl to do what no other had been able to do: Win his heart. Harry had worked diligently with Hermione over the course of their sixth year to improve his marks in an attempt to qualify for Auror training. They worked closely during the year and through their contact and closeness a new feeling subtly inched its way into Harry’s life. Hermione had always been there for him, through every trial and tribulation, and had remained loyal when even his other best friend had not.

They had spoken of the prophecy that ruled his destiny, debated of its validity, and spent several hours researching the dusty tomes in the school’s library for answers. Harry never divulged the startling revelation he’d had when he rushed to Hermione’s side the night she was struck down at the Department of Mysteries and with the prophecy ruling his future, he thought it best that revelation was kept secret.

The summer passed as uneventfully as the school year and their seventh and final year was upon them. The D.A. was set to meet when they returned to Hogwarts and Harry and Hermione created a curriculum of advanced defense courses for the new and long term D.A. members.

Harry surveyed the students before him and nodded when he finished the headcount. “Welcome to the first meeting of the year. Hermione and I have developed a new training schedule that has quite a bit of N.E.W.T. level magic involved.”

“With tensions rising from fresh Death Eater attacks, we thought it best to equip everyone with as much knowledge as we could.” Hermione continued. “The schedule is on the far wall. There will be physical education added as well to give everyone an edge should they need it. Most dark wizards prefer the use of their wands and will not expect an outright physical attack.”

“Over the course of the year, I will be training people in the art of Occlumency.” Harry explained. “I will start with Hermione and we’ll work our way down from seventh years to first years. Pair off and begin working with chapter one of the advanced dueling texts we’ve handed out.”

The members paired off and began their assigned reading and wandwork as Harry and Hermione stepped off to one corner where a pile of mats were stationed.

“Remember what I told you.” Harry began as he brought his wand to the ready. “Clear your mind and control your emotions.” Hermione nodded she was ready and raised her wand. “Try to fight back like we did with the Imperius Curse in fourth year. On the count of three ... One – two – three! Legilimens!”

He watched as images streamed from her mind to his. Hermione was concentrating hard as one memory after another revealed itself. She was standing in a sandbox crying over a broken doll ... She was talking to Neville about a missing toad and opened a door to find Harry and Ron ... She glanced at Harry while he was reading his defense books ...

His wand flew from his hand when Hermione used the disarming charm and their contact broke. She fell to all fours gasping for air and Harry stepped up to her.

“Are you alright?” He asked quietly as he bent to help her up.

She stood abruptly but Harry wasn’t fast enough to dodge. With a sickening thud, they collided and both ended up sprawled on their backs clutching their heads.

Something happened and the stream of memories resumed between the two but this time as a two way channel. Harry watched helplessly as images flew through his mind without the strength to stop them.

Hermione kissed him on the cheek after fourth year ... Her seemingly lifeless body slumped against the wall at the Department of Mysteries ... His glances at her lips, neck, and hidden body as she wrote an essay ...

Hermione’s thoughts were flashing in his mind as well and his eyes went wide at what he saw. She snuck into Ron’s room to watch Harry sleep ... She purposely ripped her bag and Harry helped her with her books ... She’s writing in her diary ...

The last thing he expected to defeat a Legilimency attack came in the form of moist, soft lips as they pressed against his. Harry’s eyes went wide when he realized that those lips belonged to Hermione.

She pulled away with a look of regret in her eyes and a hand firmly pressed against the back of her head. “I’m sorry, Harry.” She said sadly. “I had to ... now that you know ... how I feel.” She turned to leave but Harry caught her arm.

“Didn’t you see my memories?” He asked quietly. His head was still throbbing from their impact and he tilted to the side dizzily. “I feel the same way, Hermione.” He whispered quietly. She looked at him incredulously but couldn’t respond because his lips were pressed against hers.

Mornings at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had become one thing that Harry Potter could count on to be normal and follow a specific routine. He would start the day late due to lack of sleep and rush to the Great Hall for breakfast where his best friend, Hermione Granger, would inevitably slide a plate filled with his favorite food to him. His other best friend, Ron Weasley, stumbled in a few minutes later ready to fall asleep once again but instead found something to argue with Hermione about. Today was no exception as the usual flutter of hundreds of wings from hooting of owls rained from above.

Hermione received a letter from her parents along with the day’s copy of the Daily Prophet, Ron a pink envelope with Luna’s calligraphic handwriting and a tin of fudge from his mother, but Harry, however, never had post unless it was from Hagrid inviting him for a spot of tea.

This day, however, a tawny barn owl landed in front of him carrying a small, elongated box. Harry reread the name to make sure there wasn’t a mistake before he untied the small parcel.

“I don’t get mail.” He said confusedly as he looked to his two best friends.

“Open it, Harry.” Ron said with a smile. “Let’s see what you’ve got! Is there a note?”

Hermione glanced up from her paper to watch as Harry deftly untied the string that held the box closed and removed the cover. Under a delicate piece of tissue, he found a new gold watch.

“A watch?” He asked quizzically as he pulled it from its packaging. “I’ve been meaning to get one but haven’t had the opportunity ...”

“May I see it?” Ron reached for the timepiece. He looked it over and smiled at the quality. “This is a nice watch, Harry.” He said handing it back. “It’s even water proof!”

Harry turned the watch over in his hand and spun it around. “There’s an inscription ... ‘My love for you will last longer than what this measures’ ...” He looked at Ron in confusion then turned to Hermione who had resumed reading her paper.

“You’ve got a secret admirer?” Ron asked with a grin. He turned in his chair and saw Cho Chang watching them intently. Her eyes went wide when she realized that Ron had spotted her and turned her attention to her plate. “I don’t know if this is a good idea ...” He said after a moment. “What if Cho sent it to you?”

“You honestly think that she wants to get back together with Harry?” Hermione said nonplussed from behind her paper. “No offense, Harry, but you made your feelings obvious when we got back to school.”

Harry nodded and looked down the table to where Ginny was sitting. Ron had hinted that despite the news she was over him, Ginny still carried a torch for The-Boy-Who-Lived. Their eyes met for a moment and Ginny smiled at him before returning to her conversation with Colin Creevey.

Ginny couldn’t afford something like this ... Harry thought as he returned the watch to its box.

“Aren’t you going to wear it, mate?” Ron asked with a grin while grabbing his books.

“Not right now.” Harry said quietly. “I don’t need Professor Trelawney to predict it to be the death of me ...”

Hermione snorted, folded her paper, and put it away. “I wouldn’t worry too much about her predictions, Harry.” She said with a scowl. “Divination is such a wooly science anyway.” She patted him on the arm and smiled. “See you in defense.”

Classes crawled at a snail’s pace that day. A malfunctioning time-turner wasn’t to blame; it was Harry’s inability to keep from peeking at the watch every few minutes. There was no note and the inscription kept him wondering.

Who could love me that much? He thought to himself. Time, a watch measures time ... Harry went through a mental list of girls and eliminated several possibilities until he was left with three: Ginny, Cho, and Hermione.

He dropped Cho from the list immediately. After their disastrous date he knew they wouldn’t work out. Ginny was more a sister to him and she couldn’t afford such an extravagant gift.

Harry’s heart skipped a beat as he considered his best friend. He’d realized that he wanted to get to know her romantically when she woke up in the hospital wing after the fight at the Department of Mysteries but he’d kept those feelings to himself.

He chanced a glance at her. She was bowed over a long piece of parchment, scribbling furiously. He found himself scanning her face, tracing the contours of her lips, nose, and cheeks but invariably returned to her pursed, soft lips as everything fell into place.

Hermione’s parents were dentists so she could probably afford this gift. She knew his old watch had quit working when it was waterlogged at the lake. They spent all their free time together, used a time-turner to save Sirius, and He wanted to spend more time with her.

A strand of her hair broke loose from its place behind her ear and Harry subconsciously swept it back into place. She jumped at the contact and smiled nervously at him.

His heart was beating furiously and he became lightheaded as their eyes met. Without realizing what he was doing, Harry had leaned forward and kissed her squarely on the lips. She didn’t respond to his forwardness and his heart sank as he pulled away. He didn’t get far before her books and scroll slid to the floor forgotten while her arms slid around his neck and she returned his affections. They broke their contact a few, heart-stopping moments later.

“Thank you for the watch, Hermione.” He said in a raspy voice.

She smiled at him mischievously. “It took you long enough.” She replied simply and after a moment of laughter, they attempted to correct the awkwardness of their first kiss.

A/N: The kiss happened in the Gryffindor common room, btw ;) Not in class.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 9)
Challenge: Quidditch match at the Burrow: Hermione plays too and she’s good at it!
Title: Finders Keepers
Word Count: 1,000

Summers at the Burrow meant several things to Harry Potter. He had a family that supported and cared for him, was able to spend even more time with his best friend Ron and girlfriend Hermione, Mrs. Weasley’s wonderful cooking, Hermione, and Quidditch.

This summer had been the most eventful of his young adult life. He’d started dating Hermione quite by accident. He also found out just how talented a witch this young woman was. She claimed that she didn’t like flying, but like everything she plied her gloriously brilliant mind to she was good, very good and as always made him proud and Ron furious.

Last summer started as it always did, being stuck at the Dursleys’ and thoroughly miserable until his best friend kept her promise and visited him a week after they had parted. She had convinced the head of the Order to allow Harry to move in with the Weasleys and she wanted to be the one to share the news.

The death of Sirius was the hardest thing that he’d had to deal with in his short life but without the oppressive atmosphere of his malicious relatives and the polar opposite environment that the Burrow gave him, his wounds healed quickly. Hermione was the single most important catalyst in his recovery and he quickly realized just how much the bookish young woman meant to him.

That summer was a time of discovery, awkwardness, sadness, and forgiveness as the two found each other in a romantic fashion then dealt with an angry and jealous best friend. Ron was furious with the new couple and old wounds were reopened. By the end of the long holiday, that rift was partially mended and once they had returned to the Hogwarts Express, the strength of their friendship won out and the chasm between the three was finally crossable.

One year had passed and once again it was time to enjoy the summer at the Burrow. The protection Harry was afforded by living at Privet drive was discovered to continue as long as one week a year was spent on the premises and afterwards, he was whisked off to the wonderfully eccentric house just outside Ottery St. Catchpole.

The usual occupants were in and out performing their daily chores, lounging around the pond, enjoying games of Quidditch and wizard’s chess, and for Harry and Hermione, studying diligently for their N.E.W.T.s.

The summer soared by with little incident. The days were hot and the nights were humid. Boredom reached an all new high for everyone, including the studying duo. The visit of the remainder of Ron’s siblings and their significant others sparked the Quidditch match that would surprise them all.

The twins and their wives alleviated the boredom somewhat, but even the antics of the jokesters weren’t enough to break everyone out of the doldrums they were settled in. The surprise appearance of Bill, Charlie, and their families lifted the curtain of laziness from the group and the unheard of return of the wayward Percival completely stirred the gathering into action.

Percy had brought his wife, Penelope, and their first born son to meet the family. This had hidden the true nature of his visit: pure, unbridled begging for forgiveness and severe apologies to his family and unofficial brother. The Weasleys were known as a caring family for a reason and that day was no exception. At the sight of their grandchild, Molly and Arthur broke down in fits of laughter and tears. They welcomed their wayward son back with halting, yet open arms and by the end of the week, it was almost as if he had never left.

That Saturday was the first time since the last World Cup that the entire family was together and that meant one thing: Quidditch. You couldn’t swing a dead cat around the house without hitting someone with that subject on their mind, even Hermione. She was not fond of the sport but invariably was swept up in the excitement of the rest of those present.

She sat on the sidelines as everyone gathered to choose teams. Ginny’s boyfriend, Dean Thomas, and his best friend Seamus had arrived earlier that morning to a whirlwind of planning for a shortlist set of teams ready to hit the pitch. With their arrival a new level of excitement burst forth and engulfed the excited Weasleys. Mr. Weasley offered to play as well which left them one member short. To everyone’s astonishment, Hermione stepped up to the plate. She said she’d read all there was to read about Quidditch and she wouldn’t mind giving it a go as long as she didn’t have to fly too fast.

Team Captains were quickly chosen and coincidentally, they happened to be the two best seekers Hogwarts had seen in the last twenty years. Teams were quickly chosen and soon, Harry, Hermione, Fred, Angelina, Ginny, Mr. Weasley, and Percy were facing off against Charlie, Ron, Katie, George, Dean, Seamus, and Bill.

Hermione was her teams keeper and one look at her face could tell you that she was in her zone, the same one she reserved for exams and studying. That mindset served her well as time after time, the Quaffle never made it past her. A stunned Harry and Ron could only watch in awe as her mind quickly calculated angles and the deflection needed to put the Quaffle in her chasers’ hands. They were so stunned that every goal the Lightning bolts shot scored and Harry couldn’t find the snitch until he saw Charlie diving at his girlfriend. With a quick look he saw the golden orb and using the full power of his magnificent broom, swooped in and scooped up the flitting object with ease.

Hermione was hoisted upon the shoulders of her teammates and paraded around the pitch to a stirring rendition of Hermione Is Our Queen. The remainder of the visit was filled with crowing from the Lightning Bolts to the taunt of ‘Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers.’

A/N: For this challenge, I thought it would be fun to try an all narrative piece. Already pointed out: It wouldn't make for a no-dialog book, but as a one-shot, this is fine (Thanks, Tawny!) ;)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 10)
Challenge: A late-night talk at the Burrow
Title: Miss Interpretation
Word Count: 1,000

“Harry, I told you to LEAVE ME ALONE!” Hermione hissed angrily as she pushed past him into the Weasley’s kitchen.

Harry watched her stomp to the cooler in frustration and ran his fingers through his hair. “Hermione, could you keep it down?!” Harry hissed as he followed her to the table. “We don’t need to wake the entire house!”

“That wouldn’t happen if you’d just GO, Harry! LEAVE ME ALONE!” She looked at him dangerously then grumbled in frustration when she spilled milk across the table. “ARGH! Do you see what you’ve made me do?!” She snapped as she lopped up the spill with a towel.

“Will you calm down and tell me why you’re so mad at me?” Harry pleaded with her. “You haven’t spoken to me since before Christmas break and I have no idea why!”

“Why don’t you sit there and THINK about it for a while!” She snapped and flung the milk from her glass at him. She watched in horror as his eyes went wide and he tried to duck the glass that had been in her hand. The spilled milk made it slippery and instead of splashing him with milk he was clutching a bleeding lump on his head.

“ARGH!” He hissed and doubled over with his head clutched in his hands as a strawberry-like swirl puddled on the floor. “Hermione, have you gone mad?!” He growled through clenched teeth.

“Harry, I’m so sorry.” She said quickly and pulled him to a nearby chair. “I didn’t mean to throw the glass, I’m so, so sorry ...”

“Just ... ARGH ... get away, Hermione!” He spat as he grabbed the towel she used earlier and pressed it against his fresh cut. “I just wanted to know why the ruddy hell you weren’t talking to me and you had to go spare on me!”

“You don’t get it, do you?!” She said angrily and yanked the towel away from him. He yelped and looked at her fiercely, causing her to step slightly back from him. With a renewed sense of purpose she ran the towel under the water in the sink and stalked back to him.

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?!” He growled angrily as she dabbed at the lump she’d caused.

“If you hadn’t noticed, Harry, I’m trying to help you, now sit still!” She growled in return.

“You know, I still can’t figure out what’s gotten you so angry.” He said a bit more calmly as he winced. “I thought we had a great time at the dance ...”

“I thought so too.” She said indifferently. “But I was wrong.”

“What?!” He asked incredulously. He grabbed her hand, forced her to stop dabbing at his head, and successfully forced her to sit down. She looked away adamantly, however, and refused to answer his question.

“Hermione ...” He said quietly. “Did I do something wrong? I was with you the whole ...” He stopped as an epiphany trampled through his head like a heard of Horntails. “G-Ginny ...” He whispered.

Hermione snapped her head around and glared at him. “Figured it out, did you?!” She spat at him in disgust. “Did you enjoy it? Did you have fun twirling me around to make her jealous?!” Angry tears were streaming down her cheeks as her temper boiled over again. With one motion she was out of her seat and Harry found a wet towel smashing into his face.

“Hermione, wait, you’ve got it all wrong.” Harry stammered as he reached for her. He stood and suddenly felt dizzy. He took an awkward step forward, wobbled to the side and his eyes went wide. Hermione turned to yank her hand from his and caught him before he fell.

“Sit back down.” She said coldly. “You might have a concussion. I’m going to get Mrs. Weasley. She can heal that for you.”

With Hermione’s support, Harry was able to finally take hold of her and did the only thing he could think of: he kissed her full on the lips. Hermione’s eyes went wide before she pulled away and brought a hand up to slap him. He caught it easily and looked into her eyes.

“Hermione, I didn’t kiss her, she kissed me when I told her we weren’t dating.” He said evenly. Harry had gotten too frustrated with her attitude towards him and angrily pushed her away. He turned to find his chair but the room swam around his head and he found himself on all fours vomiting violently.

“Harry?” Hermione knelt by his side and wiped his mouth with the discarded towel.

“You’ve done enough, Hermione.” Harry said pitifully, reeling from the lingering aftereffects. “Gin ... Ginny kissed me and I turned her down. I was waiting for you in the common room when she surprised me.” He looked up and frowned at his best friend and her twin and rubbed his eyes.

“You were waiting for me?” She whispered quietly.

Harry nodded and quickly regretted the act. “I wanted to kiss you but you never came back.” He said sadly. “I thought ... I wanted ...” He lilted to the side and felt Hermione’s arms around him.

“I’m going to get Mrs. Weasley.” She said quietly. “We can talk afterwards.” She didn’t wait for his response and an hour later, he was lying on the couch with a pack of ice on his head. Molly didn’t ask any questions, which was strange for her, and she left the two of them alone after she made sure Harry was doing better.

“I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions ...” Hermione whispered beside him.

Harry sighed. “It’s ok, really.” He looked over to her and cupped her cheek with his hand. “I’m sorry ...” He couldn’t finish the question with Hermione’s lips pressed to his and she pulled away just as quickly as she’d started. “Hermione ...”

“You don’t need to apologize, Harry.” She said quietly. “We’ll finish that kiss after you’re feeling better.”

A/N: This was a Friday challenge, as such, we had the option of writing a 2,000 word story. The catch this time was: It had to be all dialog. The other option is a standard 1,000 word story. Let's see if you can guess the game :) Also, this takes place a little after chapter 12 of Time After Time. I might use a normal version of this (with the he said and she said bits) in that story as filler, I don't know yet :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 11)
Challenge: Harry and Hermione teach Ron (and Luna if you like) to play a Muggle board game.
Title: Charm: The Muggle Magic Adventure Game
Word Count: 2,000

“Harry, isn’t the A/C fixed yet?”

“What’s A/C?”

“Honestly, you’d think that you would have run across that in the three years you’ve spent in muggle England, Ron.”

“Luna and I live in a small house in Cheddar ...”

“Ron, A/C is air conditioning. Hermione, I rang the maintenance center and they’re backed up with repairs.”

“Let me take a look at it ...”

“Luna, put your wand away! You don’t know ...”

“It runs on electricity, doesn’t it? Other than that it’s just a fancy machine. We’ve fixed Dad’s printing press when we needed to ...”

“Mixing magic and science isn’t a good, Luna ...”

“The condenser coil was snapped, a simple repair spell was all it needed.”

“Luna knows what she’s doing, Mione ...”

“How many times have I said to stop calling me Mione? Don’t change it to Herms or Hermy either! And if you call me what Krum did, Trevor will be the only one who can understand you!”

“Give the A/C a chance to work and stop fighting. It’s warm enough as it is and I don’t want to hear your arguing today ...”

“Hermione, when you decided to move after your scare, I didn’t think you’d move where there were so many people.”

“The other house would have been too small with the new baby ... Harry thought it would be nice to buy a bigger house closer to the city, and thank you for fixing the A/C, Luna.”

“You’re welcome. Harry, are those your parents above the mantle?”

“Hmm? Oh, right, sorry for the bad manners. Mum, Dad, this is my other best friend Ron Weasley and his wife Luna.”

“It’s so good to see that Arthur and Molly had another son, don’t you think, James? It’s very nice to finally meet you, Ron, and you too, Luna. Thank you both for helping Harry against Voldemort.”

“It wasn’t easy, I’ll bet. I had a hard enough time with him and I’m glad you kept my son safe ... I hear that you used to play for Gryffindor too ... How were the games?”

“No Quidditch today, James, please? When you and Harry go at it, I get such a headache. Hermione, dear, could you please create another portrait so that I can escape these lunatics?”

“I’ll research the portrait clone rituals at work, Lily. With any luck, we can have one put in at Godric’s Hollow and smaller ones for the bedrooms.”

“Oh, that would be lovely, I’d like to spend some time with you and Lily, she’s so precious.”

“She’s my little girl, Mum.”

“Your little girl?”

“Ok, she’s my little girl when she’s cranky it seems.”

“Ron ... I’ll talk to you later when she’s asleep ...”

“Ok, enough with the conspiracy planning ...”

“Mum, Dad, all of the Weasleys are excluded from the security wards.”

“Sure, honey, whatever you say. Ron, Luna, welcome to Harry and Hermione’s home.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks for such a wonderful birthday present, Love. I didn’t think I’d ever hear Mum’s voice in anything other than a scream.”

“Harry, you don’t have to thank me, I know you needed them. Besides, it wasn’t difficult gathering the memories that lingered with people and the objects they touched. Most of that energy came from you, don’t forget.”

“Would you two quit kissing in front of me? I’m still getting used to the marriage, let alone seeing any of that!”

“Ronald, leave them be.”

“Well, kisses from you, I can handle.”

“Ron, we’ve been married for eight years!”

“Still doesn’t mean I’m used to you two snogging in front of me! It still seems like yesterday when Hermione and I ...”

“Don’t bring that date up again, Ronald Bilius Weasley!”

“Would you stop antagonizing my wife?”

“Ok, ok ...”

“Well we did invite you over for entertainment, didn’t we?”

“That we did, Love, anyone have a suggestion?”

“Do you have a wizard’s chess board?”

“We do, but I was thinking something that we could all play.”

“Exploding snap?”

“Something a little less noisy, Ronald, do you have any board games? My father did an editorial on muggle games in the last Quibbler. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play one.”

“We do have Trivial Pursuit ...”

“Ron and Luna would be out of their element, Love.”

“I guess you’re right ...”

“Good, that sounded like a brainy kind of game anyway. Don’t roll your eyes, Hermione, we all know that you’d win anyway.”

“He has a point, Love, you do always win.”

“Fine! Lily’s games are too young for most of us here ... What about that game you brought from Privet Drive, Harry?”

“Oh, I’d almost forgotten I’d nicked it from Dudley’s dust bin! Hold on, I think it’s in the guestroom’s closet.”

“Lily and Percy have been quiet up there ... What do you think they’re doing?”

“I stopped by after visiting the loo, your son and our daughter are sound asleep with Link and Gator ...”

“Oh, I have to see this! I’ll be right back, Ronald.”

“Where’s Luna off to?”

“Spying on our sleeping children.”

“Oh, I saw that when I passed Lily’s room ... Percy loves that stuffed alligator, doesn’t he?”

“He doesn’t go anywhere without it. Great, now I want to see, I’ll be right back.”

“They’re adorable!”

“It’s good when Percy takes his afternoon nap, he’s a monster when we try to get him to bed otherwise, isn’t he, Luna?”

“We’re going to have to move to the dining room table, the board is too big for here.”

“Oh, it was Talisman that your cousin threw away?”

“It was, if he’d looked on E-Bay, he would have seen how much it was worth. I played it a few times when I was at Mrs. Figg’s. She was watching Mark Evans as well and she taught us how to play. I think she was trying to tell me something because I always drew the wizard for my character.”

“That’s quite a hint, Harry!”

“Tell that to a nine-year-old that didn’t know about the wizarding world.”

“Wait, this has to do with wizards and magic?”

“It does, but not in the same way, Ron.”

“Muggle board games rarely do, Ronald, now let them show us how to play.”

“Right, there are cards, dice, and chits that are used to play the game. Each person plays as an adventurer that travels along this board. Use the dice to tell you how many spaces you can move and also to attack and defend during combat. You draw cards where the spaces tell you and do what the cards say.”

“Why don’t we choose characters, Harry? It might be easier to explain by playing with this one than through explanation.”

“Let me just ... shuffle the cards ... Right, Luna, select a character ... Just choose any one you want, it’s supposed to be random. Right, don’t look just yet we use a house rule that nobody is to know until everyone’s drawn. We’ll flip the cards over then. Ron ... Hermione ... And I think I’ll take this one.”

“Can we flip the cards now?”

“Yes, flip your cards.”

“What did I tell you? The Wizard ...”

“I got the Sorceress, I usually get the minstrel.”

“The Monk?”

“Oh, she got the best one, Love.”

“The Prophetess? I got Trelawney?”

“Oh, that’s hilarious! If you like the game, I wonder if you’ll get her the next time we play ... But with the Monk in Luna’s hands, I see victory for our resident Ravenclaw ...”

“Harry, that’s too creepy for words! Don’t impersonate her again ... ugh!”

“Right, right ... I do have to agree though. Ok, we’ve got our characters, don’t worry about their abilities yet, we’ll explain them as we go along ... Here’s your chits for strength, craft, gold, and lives ...”

“Don’t worry about what they mean, Harry and I will help you along.”

“Does anyone want something to drink before we start?”

“I’ll take some milk, Hermione, I don’t think this child will let me have anything else ... I miss tea.”

“Pumpkin juice is fine for me, Love, do you want me to draw your spell for you?”

“Sure, Harry, Ron?”

“Do you have any butterbeer?”

“We do, be right back.”

“Hey, these abilities might actually work better than Trelawney after all ...”

“It’s the only time that I’ve found where divination isn’t wooly, Ron.”

“Thanks for the juice, Love.”

“Mmm, this milk is just what I needed.”

“Alright, here are your playing pieces, and we have enough dice for everyone. Find the space on the board where your start is ... Just look in the upper right of your character card. Then we each roll one of the dice the highest gets to start.”

“Looks like I go first ... So, I just roll the dice and move that many spaces?”

“Three ... ok, does it matter which way I go? Right ... The Woods, Draw a Card if there isn’t one here ...”

“Not a spell card, Ron.”

“I thought this was a magical quest?”

“It is, but you draw an Adventure Card.”

“Oh, ok ... Two bags of gold! Thanks, Harry ...”

“My turn ... Five. The Plains ... Oh, I got the blizzard ... Sorry, everyone, we can only move one space for the next few rounds.”

“I think I’ll take the woods then ... Oh, the Shade. You’ll see how combat works now ... actually, psychic combat. What you do is the person on your right, Hermione here, will die for the monster and add either its strength or craft to the roll. I have to beat it with my roll. Ready? Ok. I’ve got a ten and Hermione has an eight. If I would have rolled a three, it would be a tie and nothing happens, if it was lower, I would have lost one of my lives. Take the card you defeated and put it to the side, when you have 7 strength or 10 craft worth of monsters, you can’t mix and match, you can increase your strength or craft by one, or gain a life or gold if you want.”

“Daddy, what are you doing?”

“I see you’re up from your nap, Sweets ... We’re playing Talisman, want to watch? Ok, you can sit in my lap, but don’t touch the pieces, ok?”

“Now, where were we?”

“You just ended your turn, Ron. That Random spell helped, thanks!”

“I didn’t want you getting to the Crown of Command!”

“Honestly, you’re just upset because I took your porter with the talisman and Runesword on it!”

“It’s only a matter of time before she starts ordering our characters to die, Luna is the closest ...”

“And I’m there ... Ready for a fight, Hermione?”

“How did you get so much craft Luna?”

“The Fountain of Wisdom came up a few times. That teleport spell helped immensely.”

“I’m going to use my Psionic Blast spell to add my craft to my strength, that means the dice will decide who wins.”

“I Counterspell ... And according to the rules, I take your Talisman.”

“I can’t enter the space!”

“And you have to retreat on your next turn, Love ...”

“I know, Harry ... I was so close!”

“I just got more gold ...”

“I can’t make it to Luna fast enough ... But I was lucky with the pit fiends, I made it out with one life ...”

“Mummy, I’m hungry ...”

“I know, Perce, we’re almost done ...”

“I suggest we declare Luna the winner, the kids are hungry, and I included you in that assessment, Ron ...”

“That was a fun game, when can we play again?”

“Next weekend could work. Hermione and I don’t have any extra assignments to deal with.”

“I’m not in the mood to cook tonight, why don’t we get take away?”

“Sounds great, let’s go!”

“Don’t go for the whole side of beef this time, Ronald ...”

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 14)
Challenge: Harry or Hermione is given a surprise dinner by the other
Title: Kiss the Cook
Word Count: 1,000

Harry Potter found that after the defeat of the Dark Lord, after the classes and doldrums that came with school, he discovered that the less complicated his life was, the better. Despite his yearnings during his years at Hogwarts, the recently graduated Auror chose a different line of work than that of the traditional Wizarding World law enforcement. He wanted to dictate his own hours instead of searching for Dark Wizards. He had, therefore, chosen the life of a security consultant.

Ron and Hermione were ecstatic that he’d made the choice. He smiled as he remembered the concern and worry on Hermione’s face when he entered training. Harry was isolated from his friends for two years and the past six months they made up for that lost time. Today was different. It was his day to relax and unwind from his security firm and watching Ron and Hermione snog on his sofa after making up from another one of their ridiculous arguments was not on the agenda.

Truth be told, he was heartbroken and needed the time. Harry had hidden his feelings for Hermione successfully since he was fifteen. He’d held her at arm’s length until Voldemort was defeated to keep her from the Dark Lord’s villainous devices. She already was, but becoming romantically interested in The-Boy-Who-Lived was a treacherous business. Cho Chang learned the hard way when he tried to use her to manipulate the young man. Harry couldn’t visit that kind of torture upon the woman he truly loved so he secreted the memories to the farthest reaches of his mind. It was during the last two, fateful years that his two best friends found each other.

Harry sighed miserably and stared at the clouds floating overhead. He spied a fluffy dog, a dragon, and a Ford Anglia before he rolled off of his hammock to his feet. The phone rang annoyingly as he opened the door to his cottage and trotted to answer the technological banshee.

“Hello?”

“H-Harry?” Hermione stuttered in a barely audible whisper.

“Hermione, what’s wrong?” His mind started racing. Was her father in the hospital again? Was something wrong with her little sister?

“C-Can I come over?”

“Of course, whenever you want ...”

“O-Ok ... I’ll change and be there in an hour.” She stammered and hung up.

He returned the receiver to its cradle and ran his fingers through his hair. What could be wrong? He thought desperately when his stomach roared to life. “Can’t it wait?” He said irritably and his stomach growled in response.

Harry walked to the kitchen and smiled at the apron hanging by the icebox. It was a gift from Hermione when he’d moved into the quaint cottage on the outskirts of London. He took it from its peg and strapped it on, laughing at the phrase that was emblazoned across it: “Kiss the Cook.” It was those three words that sparked an idea.

There wasn’t much time until she arrived and Hermione was always early. If you’re fifteen minutes early, you’re late ... He grinned despite himself and rushed from his pantry to the stove, pulling pots from the island’s overhang and tomatoes from a nearby strainer.

The preparation took less time than he’d anticipated and raised his hand to the sitting room. With a flick of a wrist and the snap of his fingers, the couch was replaced with two overstuffed chairs sitting at a roguishly small table. Plates were set and Hermione’s favorite depression food was chilling next to the chairs. “It sounds like she needs some Butter Crunch icecream to me.” He said with a sigh.

The oven’s timer jingled and he raced to the kitchen to save the spinach soufflé she loved so much. Her mother made it for holiday dinners before she died and he knew it was her ultimate comfort food. The pasta and sauce were finished and plated and with a mad dash to the small table, dinner was waiting.

The doorbell sounded and Harry looked out the side window to see a puffy-eyed, sniffing Hermione waiting patiently for him to answer. Without a second thought, he opened it and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Harry ... I can’t believe it’s over ...” She whimpered into his chest.

“What’s over? Not you and Ron?” He asked disbelievingly. He frowned when she nodded and her shoulders began to shake. “What happened?” He asked evenly, trying to mask the anger that was boiling in his veins.

“We got into a fight and I realized that I was tired of it ...” She began shakily. “He said that if I was so tired of it that I should get out of his ... life ...” She cried again and Harry hugged her as tight as he could.

“Come inside, we’ll fix you up, Hermione.” He whispered lovingly in her ear. She offered no resistance as he led her to the sitting room.

She gasped when she found dinner waiting. “Harry, you made all of this ... for me?” She asked incredulously.

Harry smiled and led her to her seat. “Why wouldn’t I?” He asked simply. She sat and wiped away a new set of tears when she realized how far he’d gone for her.

“You made Mum’s spinach soufflé?”

“You told me about it before, I thought you’d want something comforting ...”

“And Butter Crunch?” She asked, staring at the chilling desert.

“I think you raved about it one summer ...”

“Harry, I don’t deserve this ...”

“Yes you do, Hermione, you deserve this and so much more.”

“What would I do without you?” She asked as she hugged him once more.

“I honestly don’t know, Hermione. If I didn’t have you, my life would be over ...” He whispered in her ear.

She stiffened slightly and pulled away.

“Why don’t we eat then we’ll talk after you’re feeling better.” He said with a warm smile as she began to eat. Between bites he could see her purse her lips in thought.

A/N: So begins part 1 of a 3 part series that I tied together! Hope you like it!

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 15)
Challenge: Harry & Hermione go on their first date. Harry or Hermione initiates the goodnight kiss.
Title: The Cook, Kissed
Word Count: 1,000

I can’t believe where I am tonight. It seems like yesterday when she was sitting next to me after her breakup with Ron. My heart was pounding faster than I have ever felt it when I hinted at how I’ve felt for her, but I didn’t push the matter. I knew Hermione was smart enough to figure everything else out on her own.

That was five months ago but I remember it as if it were yesterday. Every memory I’ve shared with the woman walking next to me is like that. I can see her bushy, brown hair and know-it-all attitude when the door to my compartment on the Hogwarts Express opened and she asked if Ron or I had seen Neville’s toad, the countless times I’ve woken in the hospital wing to see her tear-stained face, especially when I was able to crawl to her after ... I don’t want to think about that, but I wasn’t going to let anyone touch her while I still breathed.

The only thing I don’t recall with clarity is the day I thought her beautiful. She’s definitely grown into a shapely woman, her exercise has helped tone her body, but to most people, she’s still plain looking with frizzy hair. I noticed how wonderful she was long before everyone else, except Ron I reckon, but somewhere along the line, my sweet Hermione went from my female best friend who wasn’t the prettiest girl in school to the astonishing woman who’s now holding my hand. She’s holding my hand?

“Are you alright with this, Harry?” She asks as I start to get dizzy.

“I’d have it no other way.” I smile nervously at her in reply. Can she feel my heart beating as fast as it is? Does she know what her smile has done to me for so long? Does she know how dumbfounded I was when I asked her to dinner as a date and she said yes? There’s that goofy grin again, I must look like a ruddy ... No, Uncle Vernon’s words aren’t going to ruin this for me.

“Is something wrong?” Her eyebrows crinkle and I can see the thousand different questions that are running through her mind. Her insecurities are trampling her confidence as I stare at her hopelessly.

“I was just thinking.” I smile reassuringly, looking for that sparkle in her eye that tells me she’s fine. It isn’t there. “More to the point, I was remembering the times we’ve spent together.”

“That’s a lot of remembering.” She snorts out her laugh like she always does and I can’t help but join her. The twinkle is back in her eyes, much to my relief. I hoped that if she knew I was thinking about her, about us, it would put her at ease. I tighten my grip on her hand, letting her know that she’s always been in the foremost of my thoughts and she blushes innocently.

How could Ron treat this wonderfully intelligent and beautiful woman the way he has for so long? I can’t keep my eyes off of her, let alone find anything to insult her about. He and I are going to have a little heart-to-heart talk when I see him next.

“I’ve never had Greek before ...” She smiling at me again and I can’t keep from blushing. “I think baklava has become my all-time favorite desert now.”

I can’t help but smile at how happy she seems. “I thought you’d like something a bit different than Italian.”

“You thought right, Mr. Potter.” She laughs genuinely again and I can’t hold back a chuckle. “Harry, can I ask you a question?”

Her insecurities are back, I know what she’s going to ask. “Sure, you can ask me anything.”

“Why didn’t we try dating sooner?” I didn’t expect that question.

“I didn’t want to push you too fast after your breakup.” Not an answer she wants, I can see it coming now.

“That’s not what I meant.”

It’s amazingly convenient how a park bench happens to be nearby when I need it. With a sigh, I lead her over to it and we sit down. I hope she doesn’t hate me for this. “I wanted to ask you for a date a while ago but after what happened with Cho ...”

“I’m not Cho, Harry.” Hermione looks at me sternly and I hold up a hand to let me finish.

“You didn’t know what happened, why she seemed to be frightened to be around me. Voldemort tried to use her to get to me.” She gasps at the news. “I don’t know what happened to her but the Order was able to save her. I didn’t want you to go through what she did ...”

Tears are in her eyes, but she has that resolved look that I’ve seen so many times. “I was already a target, Harry ...”

“I know. I know, Hermione, I couldn’t stand to see you hurt that way. I couldn’t bear to see you frightened to be around me.”

Her soft hand is on my cheek and she turns me to look at her. “Harry, nothing would have kept me from you.” That twinkle is back along with something else that’s drawing me to her.

“Hermione ...” I can’t finish the sentence, was it a question? I don’t recall what I was going to ask. It’s getting hard to breathe and I feel the world spin around me but Hermione’s face is in sharp focus. She’s surprised when I cup her cheek and her eyes glaze over. My heart beats faster than I thought possible, I can’t control myself and I lean in. When my lips touch hers, I don’t remember my name. She breathes in suddenly, followed by a little squeak. Her lips are so moist and tender I slap myself for not doing this sooner. I don’t know how long we were together, but it wasn’t long enough as I pull away and look into her eyes.

A/N: This was my very first attempt at first person POV. Hope you liked part 2, next is the final! :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 16)
Challenge: Hermione twists an ankle and Harry helps her
Title: A Twist of Rain
Word Count: 1,000

Hermione’s eyes fluttered open in surprise to share the gaze of the man who had just kissed her.

“Um ... Was that ok, Hermione?” Harry asked nervously. He could feel a sense of rejection starting to course through his veins as Hermione sat in silence, staring at him. He was about to turn away when Hermione took both sides of his face and pulled him into her reply. Whatever feelings of rejection he’d started to feel quickly retreated to where they came from as the woman he’d been in love with for so long slid her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his hair.

Was that her tongue? Harry thought with surprise. He was embarrassed to say anything and he didn’t want to stop kissing her but when he jumped at the contact, Hermione did it again. Remembering a few films that he was able to spy from his cupboard that his Aunt watched on the telly, Harry opened his mouth and felt Hermione’s tongue slide between his lower lip and teeth.

The feelings he got with just kissing with his lips were amazing, this new experience, however, drove him insane. He quickly followed suit and slid his tongue into her mouth as well and found himself in a wrestling match with Hermione’s. The end to their date couldn’t be better.

A cool breeze blew over the both of them and a small, cold, splash on his face told Harry that the scene on the park bench was about to come to an end. Hermione didn’t seem to notice and with a great force of will, Harry pulled out of their kiss.

“Harry? Why’d you stop?” She asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“It’s started raining, Hermione.” Harry said quietly. She looked to the sky for confirmation and was rewarded when the clouds seemed to dump a bucket of water on the two.

“So we’re a little wet.” She said with a playful grin, trying desperately to keep her hair out of her eyes.

Harry laughed and stood, offering a hand to help her to her feet. “I’d rather we continue at home where it’s warm and dry ...”

She took his hand with a laugh and they began to run the last few blocks to Hermione’s flat. They weren’t far when Hermione yelped and Harry felt her weight pull on his arm. He stopped suddenly and turned to see her sitting on the sidewalk.

“Are you ok?” He asked concernedly and bent beside her.

“I’m fine, Harry, my heel broke.” She retrieved the heel of her shoe and sighed. “These were my favorite pair too.”

“Can you walk?” Harry asked quietly as he took her arm to help her up.

“I think so. I’ll just have one leg that’s shorter than the other.” She said with a slight grin. Harry helped her to her feet and Hermione winced as her weight returned to her foot. “Ouch! On second thought, I think I twisted my ankle.”

Harry bent quickly and after a few prods and painful reactions from his date he sighed. “It’s starting to swell.” He didn’t stand straight away and when he did, it was with a squealing Hermione in his arms.

“Harry! Put me down!” She demanded as her arms wrapped around his neck.

“I’m not going to drop you, Hermione, I’m only carrying you to your flat ... Not that big, deep, puddle over there.” He took a step towards the rapidly deepening pool of water and Hermione started to struggle. He laughed and turned back down the street, carrying her easily the rest of the way.

“If you had dropped me back there ...” She said threateningly from her sofa.

“I know ... I would be joining Trevor in a dreary conversation about fly cuisine.” Harry said with a grin. “Believe it or not, I am a bit smarter than that.”

“I wonder sometimes.” She said with a huff and a wince as Harry expertly wrapped her ankle with a bandage. “They taught you muggle first aid in Auror training?”

“No, I learned this in primary school after one too many scuffles with Dudley and his gang.” Harry replied absently as he put on the finishing touches. “The school nurse could swap quite a few stories with Madam Pomfrey, let me tell you.” He smiled and looked up to find Hermione looking at him sadly. “What’s wrong? Is it too tight?” He bent to loosen the bandages but Hermione caught his arm.

“You’ve never told me everything that happened, Harry.” She said quietly. “I mean, I knew Dudley and his parents were cruel and about the cupboard, but I didn’t know he beat you up at school ...”

Harry shrugged. “I know most people don’t go through what I did.” He admitted quietly. “But there really isn’t much to tell.” Hermione winced as she turned to him. “Hold on.” Harry gently placed her swollen ankle on a pillow and scooted to her other side so she didn’t have to move to talk to him. “Is that better?”

Hermione nodded and cupped his cheek. “Harry, I’m sorry we couldn’t get you out of Privet Drive faster those summers, if only I’d known how bad it was ...”

Harry cut her off with a finger pressed to her lips. “The past is the past, Hermione. I’ve forgiven them already.” He explained quietly. “It’s true that nobody deserved what I went through but now that I’m away from it all, I don’t really care any more. My life changed when I met you and Ron, that's when I first realized the lies they’d told me were just that, lies.” He looked into her eyes and smiled softly. “And now, I’m here with a beautiful woman and I’m only paying attention to the future ...”

For the second time that day, Harry found himself drawn to the moist, soft lips of Hermione’s. The storm raged outside, pelting the windows with sheets of rain.

A/N: So ends part 3. I hope you enjoyed the three part mini-fic! New challenge starts tomorrow :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 17)
Challenge: Harry and Hermione take an impromptu nap.
Title: Late-Night Clearup
Word Count: 1,000

The room was abuzz with the laughter and conversations of the majority of Harry’s closest friends and his unofficial family, the Weasleys. Three years out of Auror training and he’d finally made it back to London, to home, after his first long-term assignment. He looked around happily at the guests and his face fell slightly to a smile meant to obscure his unhappiness. Hermione and Ron were laughing happily at a private joke the two of them shared, one that Harry had not been present to participate in. He turned away when Ron leaned in and kissed her cheek, eliciting a snort from his female best friend but Harry didn’t find it enjoyable. He turned instead, to Cho, who had been talking with Ginny about a new wizarding fashion magazine and took her hand in his. Cho looked up with a smile and kissed him gently on the cheek before going back to her conversation.

It was truly amazing how much people change in six years. Cho had gotten over Cedric’s death after two years of mourning and tried to rekindle the relationship they once shared. She apologized for her jealousy and insecurities during their first attempt and it was a suspicious young man that accepted a tenuous friendship as a compromise.

He smiled at everyone once again, realizing that the night was soon to end and the cleanup of his new flat would begin. Tonks was the first to excuse herself with an excuse of an early morning assignment. Fred and George were next because they had to open the store. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, though far from old left shortly thereafter followed by his other guests. Cho, Ron and Hermione were the last three present when Harry stood and began the cleanup.

“I’m sorry, Harry,” Cho said sweetly, “But I’ve got class in the morning ... do you mind?”

Harry smiled and shook his head. “I’ll see you this Friday, Cho.” He hugged her with one arm and accepted another kiss on the cheek before she disapparated. Ron had apparently done the same, leaving Harry and Hermione alone in his flat. “Why don’t you head on home, Hermione?” He said with his fake smile firmly in place as he stacked another few plates to be taken to the kitchen.

“Is there something wrong, Harry?” She asked quietly, stepping up to him and placing a hand on his arm. “You’ve been quiet all night.”

Harry smiled again and shook his head. “I’m just tired and I have to get this place cleaned up, old habits, you know.”

She nodded skeptically but her knitted eyebrows didn’t relax. “Do you mind if I help?”

“Mind? If you want to help clean up this mess, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Harry said with a laugh.

The better part of three hours had passed by the time the two friends had cleaned the dishes, table, and set the napkins, and other fabrics used for dinner, in the washing machine. Harry plopped on the couch as exhaustion overtook him and the room began to blur.

“I can’t believe how tired I am.” He said groggily, setting his glasses on the end table and pinching the bridge of his nose. Hermione slumped onto the couch next to him and yawned fiercely.

“How many dishes did we go through tonight?” She asked in a similarly weary voice. Harry didn’t answer her question since he hadn’t the energy to open his mouth. He mumbled something incoherent and felt Hermione’s weight slump against his shoulder. They were too tired to adjust their positions and the next minute they knew, they were sound asleep.

Harry woke to the clang of his grandfather clock and yawned. He felt the weight of someone laying on him and the thought of Cho sneaking into his bed made him grimace.

Wait, I’m not in my bed ... He reached for his glasses and after sliding them on, smiled despite the problems that would arise if someone happened to walk in and see Hermione lying atop of him. Harry stroked her hair gently and kissed the top of her head.

“Hermione ... Hermione, wake up ...” He whispered quietly into her ear.

She shifted slightly and smiled into his shirt. “Not now, Harry ...” She mumbled sleepily.

Harry chuckled and kissed her now accessible forehead. “Hermione, my leg’s fallen asleep, wake up.” He whispered again with a soft laugh.

Hermione adjusted herself so she was lying between his legs instead of on his numb one and moved up a bit farther. She smiled sleepily and lay her head in the crook of his neck and shoulder. “Mmm, better?” She mumbled and kissed his cheek.

Harry gulped. Did Hermione just kiss me? He looked into her sleeping face and saw the content smile splayed across her lips and his nervousness flooded out of his body. Feeling daring, he kissed the tip of her nose.

“Hermione, if Ron shows up, you could get into trouble lying there ... Wake up ...” He whispered to her again, followed by a gentle shake.

She slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the sleep that she was enjoying and found herself looking into the eyes of Harry Potter. “What about Ron?” She said sleepily.

“Aren’t you two dating?” He asked glumly. Hermione shook her head and glanced to his lips. “Y-you’re not?” He asked nervously. Hermione shook her head again. “What is it?”

“I was wondering if you were going to get the courage to continue.” She said quietly with a slight tremble in her voice.

Harry fully understood the nervousness he had heard and without warning her, he kissed her tenderly on the lips. She was surprised he’d actually done so, as evidenced by her sharp intake of air and a slight squeak as he tightened his arms around her. The next few hours went by in a blur and Harry looked to the woman curled next to him in his bed. Something in his heart told him this felt right.

A/N: I based this ficlet on a scene from the movie Boomerang with Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry. That was the turning point in Eddie's carreer, I think and the movie was fluffy and angsty all at once. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try a movie translation of a scene. Hope you like it ;)

A/N: For this challenge, we had to select 2 haiku from a randomly generated list of 20 or so. Completely random. The goal: Try to work all the words from the Haiku into the story and if possible, the meaning of the haiku as well. This is part one in a multi-part story which is not posted in consecutive order.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 18)
Challenge: Choose 2 Haiku and write a 2,000 word story
Title: Romance Found, Friendship Lost
Word Count: 2,000

Life in the small town of Ottery St. Catchpole was usually a quiet and lazy affair. The entire town knew one another on a first name basis, save for the strangely peculiar families that kept to themselves on the outskirts of the miniscule settlement. The local inhabitants, like all muggles, were completely unaware that one of these particular families, a group of redheads called the Weasleys, were, in fact, wizards and witches. Being wholly unaware of this fact made the local inhabitants doubly unaware that their two guests were also a witch and wizard. Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, and Hermione Granger were visiting this odd family for yet another summer before returning to their magical school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This particular morning during the summer holiday before their seventh and final year at the esteemed wizarding world school started just as uneventful as any of the several hundred that had passed that year. Pots were being scrubbed in the kitchen sink, knitting utensils were flying at a rapid pace, and four disheveled redheads and their guests were sleepily eating their breakfast.

The fluttering of wings was heard from outside as a large, brown barn owl swooped into the precariously built house and dropped a red envelope that was issuing smoke into the lap of Mr. Potter.

“Bloody hell!” Ron said covering his ears immediately. “Who would send you a howler this early in the morning?!”

“I don’t know.” Harry replied with equal confusion and annoyance. He grabbed the envelope as if it were toxic and ran through the garden in a mad attempt to reach the garage. Hermione followed as quickly as she could and just as the doors to the magically quieted building were closed, the envelope burst into flame. When the smoke cleared, all that was left was an origami mouth that, with a sudden increase in volume, began to shout hoarsely at him in a very recognizable voice.

“HARRY POTTER!” The frolicking, paper mouth screamed in the angry tone of his ex-girlfriend Cho Chang. “IT’S BEEN ALL SUMMER AND YOU’VE YET TO APOLOGIZE TO ME FOR THE MOCKERY YOU MADE OF ME AT THE END OF TERM! I EXPECT A REPLY BY THE TIME WE RETURN OR WE’RE THROUGH! I KNOW IT’S ALL THAT HERMIONE GRANGER’S FAULT FOR HOW YOU’VE BEEN ACTING AND IT’S EITHER HER OR ME!”

Harry shared a helpless glance with his best friend and shook his head, awestruck that his ex-girlfriend still considered them a couple. “What’s she going on about?” Harry asked frustratingly as they tried to shake the ringing from their ears. “We haven’t dated since fifth year, let alone last term. You’d think she would know by now that I’d choose you over her any day of the week!”

“I don’t know, Harry.” She said sympathetically, blowing at a dandelion that she’d just picked. They watched the seeds somersault through the air on a lazy, morning breeze. They walked slowly back to the oddly constructed Weasley residence, admiring the flowers in the field and the greenery all about them. “She stopped making sense when we returned to Hogwarts sixth year.”

Harry had held a glum expression on his face from the moment the red envelope settled precariously in his lap, through the outburst of the mystically enhanced message, and even now, during their short walk back to what they considered normalcy.

“Things should be better this year, Harry.” She said with a smile. “You’re finally out of St. Mungo’s, Voldemort is gone, we can stop being soldiers and start normal lives.”

Harry looked to his best friend of six years and smiled wanly. He wanted to have a normal life, even that of a wizard, but with reporters swarming around him like piranhas every time he was in public, that normal life seemed so far away. “I can still hear their screams, Hermione.” He said sadly as they took a detour to a large hammock that was strung between two trees in the garden. “How can I have a normal life with the deaths of so many on my conscience?”

Harry fell into the net-bed feeling like a helpless lump and felt her slide in next to him. She pulled him into a hug and began to caress his raven, black hair gently. “I can still hear them too.” She admitted softly, dangerously close to his ear. “When I close my eyes, I see you in front of me still, with green light all around you. When you fell to your knees, I thought I’d lost you.”

Harry wrapped a protective arm around her and kissed the crown of her head gently. “That wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done.” He admitted with a slight chuckle. “But I had a feeling that the killing curse would backfire on him again, and it did.”

“Your screams were worse than when you were under the cruciatus ... and all I could do was stand there oafishly while you fell to the ground.” She let out a whimper, the pain of nearly losing her best friend evident in her trembling voice.

“Shh, I’m here, we’re both here and that’s what matters, Hermione.” He cooed quietly in her ear, pulling her into a tight hug. They had all been silent about the atrocities they’d witnessed during the final death throes of the latest wizarding war. Some things were best left unsaid though, eventually, those horrors leaked into the world of speech and nightmares forcing their witnesses to relive the things that should remained locked away and untold.

Harry kissed her furrowed brow as she fought back the tears that came so easily as of late. Of all their adventures together, the last two months had been the most harrowing. Kidnappings, murders, outright assassination attempts, everything that one reads in the history books but never expects to happen seemed to crawl from the woodwork and assault them with fierceness.

The Ministry of Magic had just gone through a major restructuring to rid itself of the lazy, complacent aristocrats that had risen to power and ignored the pleas of the people when the first report of a reborn Dark Lord had surfaced. The new minister was chosen from the lower ranks of the hard working souls who manned the wizarding government and Arthur Weasley had been the landfall winner. Pure-blooded families came to blows with those of lesser stature while new policies and laws were made and older ones were wiped from the books. Scores of muggle neighborhoods were wiped out in an attempt to ferret out The-Boy-Who-Lived and his followers, killing hundreds of innocents, including the family of Hermione Granger and Harry Potter.

The two best friends would have been on the casualty list had they not been in a special training program of intense magical study and theory. They went in as friends and an unspoken bond formed between them at the news of their family members’ demise. The final confrontation with the resurrected Tom Riddle ironically occurred in the same location that Harry’s parents had met their doom and one small child became the first and last savior of the mighty dark wizard’s reign.

Hermione nuzzled against his lips as they lingered on her pale skin, sparking something deep inside Harry’s heart. He looked at her suddenly with a new light, noticing once again how his bookish best friend had changed into an extraordinary young woman. His one arm pulled her tightly to him and he felt her breathing catch and become ragged across his bare neck. She looked to him with pleading eyes and his mind went numb before he could ponder the consequences of his actions.

It was a gradual movement at first, but unmistakably magnetic as their lips inched closer than they had ever been. Harry’s heart went from a serene canter to a frantic gallop as Hermione’s warm breath grazed gently along his lips. She let out a small gasp as their lips barely touched, a slight jab in boxing match where a full contact uppercut awaited for the participants the next moment.

Neither had felt the likes of the kiss they were now sharing, each lost in a sea of new emotions and rolling hormones. Harry felt, for the first time, that he truly belonged to something bigger than the plots and schemes of those around him. His heart soared as the warmth from his first real kiss sank into his lonely subconscious. Hermione trembled against him, seemingly chilled by a sudden gust of wind that had swept through the area.

Both were so enchanted by the other, they didn’t notice the smoldering eyes of jealousy burning with hatred from behind a closed screen door, mere meters away from them. Ron Weasley turned away, sullen and bereft of hope as Harry and Hermione separated from one another. They gasped in low, ragged, breaths as they swept their eyes over each other’s faces in search of the meaning to the turn their lives were taking.

“Harry ...” (“Hermione ...”) They said in unison, the words they were searching for on the tips of their tongues and swimming languidly in the back of their minds, waiting patiently for the two of them to place a label on their new discovery. Words became meaningless as they discovered the other felt the same and they retreated into one another, savoring the beat of their hearts as they kissed once more.

They were suddenly pulled from the exploration of their relationship when the anguished screams of their best friend echoed from his room.

“Oh, no.” Hermione said breathlessly. “Ron ...”

“Must have seen.” Harry finished with his face in his now free hands. The newly formed couple began the journey that would take them to a place they had not wished to visit. They had both realized that Ron’s feelings had been stronger than platonic towards the bushy-haired witch and with heavy hearts they began the slow climb to his room.

With trembling hands, Harry slowly opened the door to his friend’s bedroom, staring awestruck at the devastation that awaited him. Everything Harry owned, from his robes to his owl’s cage, lie in tattered pieces across the room and the many photos of the trio were mangled shards of moving happiness. Ron stood in the midst of the wreckage, livid beyond measure as he turned in a rage borne of hate and loss on his once best friend.

“YOU’RE DEAD!” The berserk redhead bellowed as he shot forward and sprung a surprise right jab squarely in the center of Harry’s face. Cartilage cracked, bone creaked, and blood spurted from the swift retaliation of having his heart broken.

Harry stumbled back in a daze, his surroundings blurred with the loss of his circular, black-rimmed spectacles. He didn’t see the barrage that was waiting for him when he didn’t fall. Punch after punch with hoarsely screamed obscenities fell upon him. He barely had enough time to cover his damaged face before a knee connected with his stomach, blasting the wind from his lungs. He heard Hermione’s pleas distantly then they were silenced by a loud crack that caused him to flinch.

A great thud reverberated from the Chudley Cannons’ shrine and Hermione was instantly at Harry’s side. He felt her warm, salty tears splash listlessly on his lips as she kissed him and cradled his head in her arms.

“WHAT IN BLUE BLAZES IS GOIN ON?!” Molly Weasley shrieked as she slid her wand back into her apron like a gunslinger on an American western. She listened to the confessions of Hermione and the weak gasps from Harry concerning the jealous tirade that just occurred. Ron struggled in the mystically formed ropes like a helpless fly in the web of a spider. He cursed both their names as his mother healed the man who stole his love from him and his mother frowned upon her son, chastising him for his actions and admonishing him ruthlessly for his crass attitude towards his friends’ happiness.

A/N:And we have another cliffhanger! Imagine that ;) I hope you enjoyed the wild ride I’ve given you which was inspired by the haiku below. There may be a continuation of this, should the timing be right

awestruck lazy helpless
piranhas somersault, glum
redheads jab, blowing

hoarsely, paper screams
oafishly mystically, head
frolicking smoke blows

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 21)
Challenge: Harry or Hermione return from a lengthy trip (6 months+) and is greeted by the other.
Title: Home
Word Count: 1,000

There was a time in my life where I looked forward to going to new places, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and dreamed of traveling the world. My childhood was filled with grand adventures to Stonehenge or Camelot to help King Arthur and his knights defeat evil. There were many fantastic places I went when I was a child, though most of them were spent sitting in the dark, playing with broken, discarded toys that my overly chunky cousin didn’t like anymore. They were spent conversing with spiders and the small dust balls that hide in dark, hard to reach places. My childhood was spent in a small cupboard under the stairs at my Uncle Vernon’s home on Privet Drive.

For the most part, I enjoyed my alone time, I wasn’t beaten or put down then. My nights were filled with dreams of my parents and flying motorcycles and I was never fully able to appreciate the love that most children in the world enjoy. That is, until I reached the age of twelve and met Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, my best friend’s parents. Life at the Burrow was starkly different from what I’d experienced and once I had a taste of it, I didn’t want it to end.

My solace came in the summer months when I would be a part of a family and then my two best friends and I would go to school where we became another close knit family of sorts. Over the years, that family grew and grew until I was finally adopted by the Weasleys, unofficial, yes, but I’d taken to calling them Mum and Dad.

My new family has only started to grow, the love of my life and I finally married ten months ago as the century changed hands. Hermione has been my rock, my ground ... my everything for so long, and now she’s my wife and soon-to-be mother of our first child.

Imagine me being a father! I barely understand the concept myself. We celebrated for nearly a week when we found out that Hermione was expecting. My life took a tremendous turn from the depression I’d fallen into at the end of the war to one filled with so much joy that I couldn’t contain it all. And I haven’t the faintest clue how to be a father, not one. Mr. Weasley gave me a glimpse, but I was only able to experience having a father for a short time before he died. Lucius Malfoy will burn in hell for all eternity! Sirius and my father, James, I didn’t have enough time with them either. I will be there for my children! I’m not angry that they’re all gone, but I still grieve.

Moody nudges my shoulder and laughs in his old barking fashion. “Worried about getting home late?” He asks as his eye spins listlessly around, scanning the room. No matter how many times I see that, it still creeps me out.

“Hermione’s due any day now.” I say with a wide smile. “I still can’t believe that I’m going to be a dad ...”

“Never been there myself.” Moody laughs again. “Too many strange women out there, no telling whose side they’re playing on.”

“Let me guess: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!” I shout at the top of my lungs, making him jump. He takes it in good humor and laughs again.

“I see that lesson is still firmly planted in that thick skull of yours!” He laughs again. “Listen, I know you’re anxious and all, but we’re going to be heading home the muggle way you realize ...”

“I know and I understand the problems with Apparation from out here.” I frown despite myself. “I just can’t get home fast enough.”

Remus walks in and he’s smiling widely as he sits across from us with our completed mission dossier. “Good news! You’ll be on the plane in less than an hour!” My eyes light up at my good luck, only three hours and I’ll see my wife. “The mission was successful, fourteen Death Eaters and twenty recruits ... The brass is happy with what you’ve done and authorized raises for the both of you.”

“A raise?” I ask stupidly. “I-I’ve just started!”

“Harry, you’ve been defending against the dark arts from the time you were one!” Remus says with a laugh. “You had more experience by the end of your first year at Hogwarts than three quarters of the Auror squad at that point!”

I blush, complements still don’t come easy for me, but I don’t argue. A raise? It couldn’t have come at the perfect time, Hermione’s going to be relieved! I’m relieved!

The debriefing goes rather quickly since we’re to be on our plane soon. I don’t mind them at all, but Moody? He’s worse than Ron and Hermione combined! The trip to Heathrow gave me a slight headache with his constant grumbling about muggle transportation and at one point I thought of stunning him just to keep him quiet.

No sooner had I pulled my wand did the captain tell us we were landing and I couldn’t believe the nervousness and relief that rushed through me when I heard the squeal of the tires on the tarmac. Six months away from my beloved Hermione was too much and I couldn’t handle the anticipation.

The plane stopped five minutes ago and I’m literally running to baggage where she’s waiting for me. I stop when I see her. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known and her pregnancy has only made her more so. She spots me and with a wave and her dazzling smile, I can’t help but run to her and gently kiss this woman that I’ve been without for what seems forever.

“I thought you’d never get here.” She says with a slight grimace.

“Are you alright?” I ask while checking her for anything wrong.

She grimaces again but gives me another dazzling smile. “Take me to the hospital, Dad.”

I’m going to be a dad!

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 22)
Challenge: Someone is tired of watching Harry and Hermione tiptoe around their relationship, and slips them Veritaserum.
Title: Romance Found, Friendship Lost 2
Word Count: 1,000

After Ron had witnessed his best friends kissing in the garden, life at Hogwarts for Harry Potter had not been the same. Gone were the nights of banter between Ron and Hermione, the nightly matches of Wizard’s Chess, Quidditch had become unbearable and worst of all, nothing had been said between he and the girl of his dreams about what had happened between them.

Harry caught glimpses of Ron glancing at the two of them from time to time, with looks of disgust, confusion, and longing. The latter was for Hermione and the others for Harry and both of them respectively. Harry’s heart was heavy with the loss of someone else close to him and he spent many nights sleepless just as he had before the final confrontation with Tom Riddle the year before.

The war is over! He’d chastise himself time and time again, only to catch Ron glaring at him out of the corner of his eye or to stammer helplessly when talking to Hermione. His relationship with his female best friend had turned into a form of ballet, each tiptoeing around one another, a pirouette around the subject, a grand jete over their encounter, it was as if they had never kissed and Ron was never their friend.

Classes were awkward when the three of them shared a lesson, Harry and Hermione now sitting where he and Ron would have previously, and the redhead moved to the farthest from them or the closest to the door, whichever came first. Whispers and rumors spread through the school, all of which were complete fallacies and even if they had a glimmer of truth, all three ignored them. There were times when Harry wondered if Ron had started them, but he quickly dismissed those notions from his mind as soon as they’d surfaced.

“Harry, may I ask you a question?” Ginny whispered one evening during a study session in the nearly deserted Gryffindor common room.

“Ask away.” Harry said absently as he scribbled down more notes for his latest Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. Hermione was frantically flipping through a large, dusty tome in search of her own answers.

“Are the rumors true?” She asked innocently.

Harry missed his inkwell entirely when refilling his pen and he heard a small rip from Hermione’s direction. He looked up at the young Weasley with a curiously raised eyebrow. “Which rumor?” He asked with a snort. “Let me save you the trouble, Ron did not catch us shagging, we didn’t kill Pigwidgeon, and ... Hermione, what was that last one?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “I’m not pregnant with Ron’s love child.” She huffed irritatingly. “I mean, Honestly! You’d think that these people would try to obtain a firm hold on reality.”

Harry shook his head with a slight grin and went back to his work, content that Ginny’s answer had been given when someone cleared his throat in front of them. Harry looked up and involuntarily flinched to see Ron standing at the table.

“Hi, Ron.” Harry said tentatively, ready to pull his wand if he needed to. Hermione looked up, startled and seemed as prepared as Harry was to jinx their housemate should he do one of a number of things that flashed through her mind at the sight of him.

Ron set down a tray filled with cookies and goblets of milk, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking to the floor nervously. “L-look, I-I’m sorry for what I did over the summer.” He said with a trembling voice. “I was hurt and it felt like you betrayed me, Harry.” He swallowed nervously and nudged the tray. “I-I was hoping we could talk and we might be friends again.”

Harry glanced quickly to Hermione for a sign of how she felt. One look in her eyes and he felt as if she had written everything for him to say. “I’m not going to lie and say that I’m happy, Ron.” Harry said after returning his gaze back to the downtrodden Weasley. “We didn’t do anything to spite you, it just happened.” Harry looked at the peace offering then back to Ron. “You hurt me too, though I guess I expected hostility ...”

“I shouldn’t have done what I did, Harry.” Ron said with a sigh. “It was uncalled for and, as Hermione might say, rather barbaric.”

Hermione snorted, whether it was a laugh or admonishment, he couldn’t tell. Not waiting for his former best friends to start into the milk and cookies, Ron slid a goblet to his sister then grabbed one himself. “At least have some of Mum’s cookies and think it over.” He said with a resigned sigh. “I know it’ll take time, Harry, but I hope you forgive me.” Ron turned to leave, but Harry caught him.

“Ron, why don’t you get your chessboard?” He said with a slight grin. The look on Ron’s face lifted somewhat and he literally ran to the dormitory to retrieve his favorite game.

“That was nice, Harry.” Hermione said, laying a hand on his arm. Harry shrugged and smiled back, packing away his books and essay. The two of them took a cookie and after a few dunks in their milk, began to eat Mrs. Weasley’s delicious baking.

When Ron peeked around the corner, the smile on his face grew long and wicked. Seated at the table were a sleeping Ginevra and two people with glazed eyes. With a triumphant strut, he swaggered to the last open seat and plopped down.

“Harry, Hermione, time to answer a few questions.” He said softly. At the nod of the other two he began his interrogation. Each answer he received caused him to curse under his breath when he found they hadn’t meant to hurt him. Veritaserum forced them to tell the truth and he was becoming frustrated. “How do you two feel about each other?” He asked dejectedly.

“I love her.” (“I love him.”) They said in perfect unison, slow and seemingly practiced.

A/N: There we have the second part that started with the Haiku challenge of the 18th! Hope you liked it :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 23)
Challenge: Harry and Hermione look back on their fondest memories.
Title: The Final Truth
Word Count: 1,012

The storm that had begun two days ago was still raging against the bitter, chilling wind. Thunder argued in a continuing effort to deafen those within earshot and sheets of electric light rippled across the heavens seemingly scoffing at its tame cousin peering out the windows of the small cottage that was currently engulfed in the uncanny deluge. The occupants of this small cottage were seeming ants in a hill of earth, trying to keep themselves warm in the comfort of their large bed. A sweltering fire was dancing merrily in the fireplace, giving the room a look of tribal fervor. There were two faces watching the entrancing flames, content to be together, yet fighting off the invasive wisps of frigid, early spring air.

There was movement upon the walls as their collected memories danced, waved, laughed, and other happy movements that were caught at the miniscule instances of time the camera flashed. Eyes flickered to several of these wizarding photographs and a dry chuckle issued into the near darkness. It was difficult to tell who had shown their mirth since the wizarding couple were both sharing their fondness of each moment in time.

Harry Potter took the hand of his wife and stroked it gently. “Do you remember our first kiss, Love?” He asked quietly. Her eyes flickered to his and smile crept to her face.

“Like it was yesterday.” She said softly.

With a slight bit of concentration, they looked into each others eyes and as if they were sitting casually in a muggle cinema, the curtains of their minds opened and the moving images of their first kiss flickered to life in their inner eye. Sitting on a park bench after their first date, the two were enjoying the stars and the sweet fragrances of the many flowers that were planted around them. Somehow Harry had lifted Hermione into his lap and with hearts seemingly beating as fast as the flashes from a strobe light, the young couple inched together in slow motion as the world around them ceased to exist. Their lips met and all their hopes and dreams were confirmed.

As they pulled apart, seemingly endless years afterwards, it was to a roaring crowd. Their friends and family were giving them a standing ovation as the minister announced the latest couple to enter the bliss of marriage. Harry looked lovingly at his new wife, wrapped in alabaster, and covered in happiness. They stepped from the stage and walked hand-in-hand down the central aisle smiling joyously at each and every guest in attendance.

They crossed the threshold of the church into a panicked operating room where Hermione had gone from smile to grimace in an instant. Harry was holding her hand tightly as she was urged to push one final time. Their hearts leapt to heaven when the first cry of their oldest daughter rang out in protest. The small, dark-haired bundle was gently laid in Hermione’s trembling arms, tears streaking her face as she kissed her daughter for the first time.

“Hello, Lily.” She rasped weakly. “I’ve been waiting to meet you.” Reluctantly, she handed the exhausted child to Harry whose face was glistening at the sight. Harry cradled her in his arms as if she were made of the most delicate porcelain.

“My sweet, sweet baby.” He whispered as his voice cracked with emotion. “You are going to be loved more than you can know.” He sat on the side of the bed next to his wife and kissed her ever so tenderly. “Thank you.” He said simply as she beamed sleepily at him.

Harry shifted his daughter to his hip after walking into the hospital room once again. Hermione was lying on the bed holding identical, blue-wrapped babies, tears dancing happily down her cheeks.

“Say hello to your brothers, Sweets.” Harry said as his voice broke once again. “They’ve been wanting to meet you for so long.”

“They’re really little, Mummy.” Lily said with wide eyes.

“Alex, Rubeus, this is your big sister.” Hermione said with a laugh as Lily compared their tiny hands to hers.

“Can we keep them, Daddy?” The little girl asked with a wide smile to which both her parents burst into laughter. Harry slipped into the bed next to his wife, smiling proudly at his growing family. They had fallen asleep at one point, but were suddenly roused by a high-pitched squeal and the impact of an eleven year-old girl.

“I’VE GOT MY LETTER!” She screamed with happiness. “I’M GOING TO HOGWARTS!” Lily jumped happily on the bed between her laughing and congratulating mother and father. They looked at one another, silently communicating their happiness when they got theirs and the joy of seeing their daughter with hers.

They were soon walking through the barrier at platform nine and three-quarters with Alex, Rubeus, Arthur, and Marion in tow. Lily was hugging her boyfriend and everyone but Arthur was stowing their trunks on the Express.

“No more trouble you two!” Hermione wagged a finger at the twins. Harry grinned as he hugged his youngest daughter before she darted off to find her best friend. Lily hugged her parents before she and Nathaniel joined the other three Potters on their way to school.

They turned to leave and Harry smiled down the aisle at his wife. The same music they had heard when Hermione and her father were gliding blissfully towards him was floating on the air. A trembling Lily was on his arm, a wide smile that never faltered splayed across her beautiful face. Nathan smiled lovingly at her as Harry offered his daughter to the young man. “You better take good care of my baby.” He whispered with a smile, then, lifting her veil kissed her gently. “I love you, Lily.” He said as a tear of joy slipped down his cheek.

Harry glanced up when he heard the tell-tale rattling breath that he so dreaded. With tears in his eyes, he leaned over and whispered to his dying wife with a tender kiss, “See you in a minute, Love.”

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 24)
Challenge: Harry & Hermione deal with their fame in the wizarding world.
Title: The Harry Potter Fan Club
Word Count: 1,093 (So I went over again, *shrug* :)

Morning: Calm, serene, peaceful. It’s the time of day when birds seem most active, singing their praises to the wonderful golden orb that gives them warmth and light. Only those but the most ambitious see the first shades of oranges, then greens then blues ripple across the sky like a disturbed, calm pool. The stars wink goodbye as they fade from view and the moon settles a sleeping cap on its head and waves silently as it hunkers down on the opposite horizon for some rest.

Harry Potter felt like one of those birds on this glorious morning. No other morning had been quite like this one, not the dawn of his eleventh birthday, not the day after defeating Voldemort, never had he felt so free and happy. He sighed contentedly as he stroked Hermione’s hair. They were sitting in his back yard on a blanket, watching the dawn of their first day as a couple. He heard her yawn happily as she rolled over, her head still in his lap.

“Good morning.” She said with a soft smile playing upon her lips.

Harry looked to her and grinned happily. “Good morning.”

“Why didn’t we do that sooner?” She asked him with a twinkle in her eyes.

“We’ve said good morning loads of times.” Harry said cheekily and laughed when Hermione slapped his chest playfully. “For my part, I thought you and Ron were together.” He said after a moment. “I wasn’t going to break you two up.”

“Did you just assume we were?” She asked in mock irritation.

Harry smiled wistfully. “I guess I did.” He admitted. “Seeing the two of you sharing private jokes and holding hands after I’d gotten back from training ...”

“Harry, we used to do that in school, you and me.” She said with a slight laugh. “Ron and I finally stopped fighting and it became easier to talk with him.”

“I also had the enjoyment in the Daily Prophet.” He said with a grin. “I should have known better than think anything in that rag was true.”

Hermione sat up and snorted a laugh. “You actually believed those stories?” She playfully pushed him and laughed harder.

“Well, I was gone and I see pictures of you two sharing kisses, on the cheek now that I think about it, and walking hand-in-hand ...” He smiled and shrugged. “What was I to think?”

“I can see how that might skew your judgment.” Hermione said after a moment. “But you know that I don’t see Ron that way.”

She leaned in as a wide smile crossed Harry’s face, their lips touched and a flash of light went off, blinding the two.

“What the bloody hell?” Harry bellowed as he spotted the photographer at the fence. The photographer’s eyes went wide that he’d been spotted and after seeing the look on Harry’s face, the color drained from his previously rosy cheeks. “Give me that film!” Harry shouted crossly as he raised his hand. The man with the camera shook his head and with a pop, disapparated.

“Lovely, that’s just brilliant!” Harry cursed loudly.

“Harry, calm down.” Hermione said with a gentle pat to his arm. “He’s got the picture. Please don’t let it ruin our day ...”

Harry looked into the chocolate swirls of the woman he loved and sighed. “I can’t even enjoy a quiet time with the woman I love.” He said quietly.

“Y-You love?” She asked with a trembling voice.

Harry smiled and nodded. “I love.” He said again. “I love you, Hermione.”

A large, white smile spread across her face. “I love you too, Harry.” She said softly.

He cupped her cheek and kissed her tenderly, his previous feeling, when they were lying in his bed, confirmed. They gathered the blanket and quickly retreated to his room for a repeat of the previous night and a few hours later, a hungry couple were scouring his kitchen for something to eat.

“It looks like anything edible was devoured last night at the party.” Harry said dejectedly.

“We can go to the market.” Hermione offered after tossing a container of something green and fuzzy in the dustbin. “I think that would be a wise course of action.”

Harry nodded and laughed. “I haven’t been shopping with you before. As a couple or for food, that is.” He said, pulling her into a hug and kissing her neck.

“As much as I love you, Harry, you better stop that or we’ll not get any food!” She said playfully. “And I need something to eat or I’ll go spare ...”

Harry picked her up in a bear hug and kissed her lips after she squealed and he laughed. “Let’s get some clothes on then.” He said as he set her back down. “I’ve seen you grumpy and though you’re cute, you’re dangerous ...” He ran out of the room, but just slow enough that Hermione’s playful slap to his rear connected. The two of them laughed as they bolted to his room and dressed.

A few minutes later, they were walking hand-in-hand through a market somewhere along Diagon Alley. Hermione went about her business, selecting her food with a discerning eye and ignoring everyone else they passed unless she recognized them. Harry, on the other hand, became more and more irritable the longer they stayed in the store.

“Ignore them, Harry.” She whispered into his ear.

“I’m trying to.” He said grumpily. “I haven’t been gawked at this much since the first week at Hogwarts.”

“You can’t let it get to you, Harry.” She said with a comforting smile and a kiss. There were gasps from a group of young women who had been following the couple and Harry glanced back at them quickly.

“The story was true!” One of the girls squealed to the group. “Harry’s taken!?”

“It seems we’ve finally met the new generation of the Harry Potter Fan Club.” Hermione said with a slight grin as the girls began to back away.

“I have a FAN CLUB?!” Harry shrieked in disbelief. “Why am I surprised?” He said as he turned way, Hermione firmly in hand. “Let’s just finish our shopping and go, Love.”

“Did you hear that?” Another of the girls swooned behind them. “I wish he’d call me ‘Love’.” She said dreamily.

“Next thing you know, they’ll have little Harry dolls!” Hermione said with a laugh, finally eliciting a grin out of her boyfriend. “And you better not stop calling me that, Mr. Potter!” She said as he finally let out a laugh of his own.

A/N: Yay! A continuation of the waking up scene (Sharing an Impromptu Nap)!! A little fluff, a little humor, and a small, insignifigant cliffhanger! Heh.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 25)
Challenge: A tongue-tied Harry/Hermione finally confesses his/her love. (TABOO: love, crush, fancy, boyfriend, girlfriend, date, passion, adore, affection.)
Title: Romance Found, Friendship Lost 3
Word Count: 2,000

“I don’t believe it!” Ron sputtered angrily at the two of them. “For how long?”

Harry and Hermione continued to stare blankly ahead of them, their dull gazes fixed on some unseen point beyond the horizon. “Since fifth year.” (“Since fourth year.”) Harry and Hermione said respectively in the exact same, zombie-like tone.

Ron shook his head as his temper continued to rise. “I thought you were talking about me in fourth year, Hermione!” He bellowed. Hermione didn’t flinch and continued to stare straight ahead. Ron sat at the table dejectedly and looked straight at her. “Did you ever think of me as more than a friend?” He asked her quietly.

“Yes.” She said in a flat, emotionless tone.

“When?” Ron asked with a spark of hope in his eyes.

“In fourth year.” She said placidly.

“Why did you choose Harry instead of me?” He asked quietly.

“When Harry tried to save me during the second Tri-Wizard task I realized that I felt the way I did because of who he is.” She said without inflection and in one breath. Ron opened his mouth to ask another question but both Harry’s and Hermione’s heads drooped to the side, both of them finally falling unconscious.

Ron snapped his head to the grandfather clock, upset that he didn’t have more time to ask more questions. He pulled the vial from his robes and just as he was about to pour more into their goblets, the portrait hole opened and he quickly secreted the vial away.

He feigned sleep as their housemates entered the common room and grimaced when Dean shook Harry awake.

“What?” Harry said groggily, looking around in surprise. “Dean? What are you doing back already?” Harry said with a stretch.

“Already?” Dean asked confused. “Lunch is over, Harry, you were all asleep at the table when we came in.”

“Asleep?” Harry looked around to confirm what his dorm mate had said. He quickly shook Hermione awake. “Hermione ...”

She woke with a start and glanced around nervously. “What?” She said with a bit of a sleepy slur to her voice. “Why is everyone back so soon?”

“Apparently, we fell asleep.” Harry explained with a look of confusion. “Ron and Ginny are out as well.” Harry gingerly shook Ginny and the young Weasley didn’t budge from her unconscious state. He shook her a bit harder. “Ginny, wake up ...”

“She seems really out of it, Harry.” Hermione said quietly. “Let’s get her to a sofa so she doesn’t wakeup sore.”

Harry gently lifted his redheaded friend and carried her to the sofa. After covering her with the blanket that was slung over the back he returned to the table. “We missed lunch, why don’t we nip off to the kitchens for a bit of something.”

“Should ... Should we wake Ron?” She asked hesitantly.

Harry looked at his former best friend and shook his head. “Let him sleep, maybe we can have that talk he asked us about when he’s had some rest.” Hermione nodded and the two left the common room and a severely frustrated Ron.

Once they were in the hall, Harry looked quizzically to his female best friend. “Do you remember falling asleep?”

Hermione shook her head and Harry noticed that she was wearing her ‘deep in thought’ face. “I remember eating a cookie or two and drinking some milk, but after that ... nothing.”

“I don’t remember being that tired.” Harry said quietly. The two of them mulled over everything that had happened in the last hour, but, for the life of them, couldn’t understand where the time had gone, or how they’d fallen asleep.

“You and Ron didn’t fight ...” Hermione said aloud.

“Neither did you.” Harry added.

Absently, Harry tickled the pear and the two of them stepped into the kitchens. They took a seat at the table and ate in silence. Harry straightened in his chair as he took a sip of milk.

“What is it, Harry?” Hermione asked concernedly.

“The milk ...” Harry said in a whisper. “Here, take a sip.” He handed her his goblet and she did as instructed. Her eyes went wide as the white liquid washed into her mouth.

“It doesn’t taste the same.” Hermione said with a stunned expression on her face. “What we drank in the common room was ... sweeter?”

Harry nodded his agreement. “Do you think Ron could have laced it with something?”

Hermione shook her head. “I ... I don’t know.” She said in a whisper of disbelief. “With everything that’s gone on since our stay at the Burrow ...”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.” Harry said as his blood began to boil. “It’s time that we sit Ron down for that little chat.”

“Harry, calm down, we don’t know what he did ...” Hermione said warningly. She gently set her hand on his arm and Harry seemed to calm at the touch.

“Alright, but we’re going to find out what happened.” Harry said evenly. One way or the other! He added as a note to himself.

Their walk back was interrupted by a running Weasley coming from the direction of the dungeons. They had just set foot on a staircase when he barreled around the corner and knocked Harry into the trick step, catching his hand in the magical quicksand.

“Sorry.” He said quickly then stopped cold when he realized who he’d run into.

“Ron, fancy meeting you here.” Harry said as Hermione helped him out of the magical trap. “We’d like to have that talk now.”

“Fine, Harry.” Ron said in a state of panic. “But let’s do it somewhere else?”

Harry and Hermione shared a look and nodded. The sound of footsteps from further down the hall spurred them on and they were soon sitting in the Gryffindor common room once again.

“First things first, Ron.” Harry said, keeping his temper in check due to Hermione’s request. “What did you slip in our milk?”

Ron blanched and looked nervously between the two.

“We could tell the difference in the taste, Ron.” Hermione said evenly. “And we couldn’t have fallen asleep naturally, not with the tension that was in the air at the time ...”

“W-well ...” Ron stammered as he loosened his tie. “I wanted to know if you intentionally hurt me ...” He said with a nervous smile of reassurance. “And ... and how long you two have been at it behind my back ...”

“You didn’t.” Hermione said in a harsh whisper. When Ron lost all the coloring in his face Hermione shot to her feet. “How dare you put Veritaserum in our drinks, Ron?!” She spat angrily.

“Veritaserum?!” Harry growled at her declaration.

“If used properly,” Hermione hissed, “The person being interrogated would remember everything! If too much is used then they don’t recall a word of what was spoken, either asked or answered!” She pulled her wand and had it at Ron’s head in an Instant. “WHAT DID YOU ASK US?!” She bellowed angrily at him.

Ron began to stutter even worse and his mouth opened and closed several times before his voice finally came out in a high-pitched squeak. “How you felt about each other and you both told me ...” Ron said, but before he could get another word out, Hermione had surreptitiously transfigured him into a newt.

She stormed over to the shivering amphibian and picked it up by it’s tail before it could run off. “Ronald, how would you like to meet Crookshanks now?” She said testily, throwing him back into the chair.

Harry watched the display with awe and fear, making a mental note not to truly make Hermione angry with him. “Hermione ...” He said as he stood and put a hand on her shoulder. “I think he’s had enough, change him back.”

“After what he did to us?” Hermione said angrily. “You do realize just how much he’s ruined our trust, Harry?”

“I know.” He said sadly. “But feeding him to your cat isn’t going to solve anything.” He looked down at the quaking newt with a frown on his face. “As much as I want to kill him myself, I think it would be best if we weren’t sent to Azkaban.”

Hermione grumbled and with a wave of her wand, a pale-faced Ron was sitting in the chair. He looked as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it with the glares Hermione and Harry shot him.

“So, you learned that what happened just happened and we didn't mean to hurt you." Harry said pointedly as he stalked back to his seat, pulling Hermione with him. "Are you satisfied? Are you happy that you pushed our friendship farther away than your retaliation at your house?”

“I thought you knew how I felt.” Ron said quietly after a minute. “I didn’t realize ... I mean, after what you both said the last two years, I didn’t think that you felt the way you do.”

Hermione and Harry looked at each other nervously for a moment then back to Ron. “And how do we feel about each other, Ronald?” Hermione asked sarcastically.

“After what just happened?” Ron said with a slight flinch at the use of his full name. “I think it would be best if you heard it from each other instead of me. Personally, I think I should stay away for a while before I try and make it up to you two ...” He stood hesitantly and when neither of them made a move to stop him, he shot out of the room and up the stairs.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, shifting uncomfortably from time to time. They shared glances and blushed when their eyes made contact and as the silence began to become too awkward for them to bear, Harry finally spoke.

“I-I guess it’s time to talk about that kiss?” He asked with a nervous chuckle.

Hermione nodded quietly, looking into his eyes for something.

“I-I guess I’ll start.” Harry said solemnly. “Well, we’ve been friends for a little more than five years now ...” He gulped as he tried to form the words that were flitting through his mind. “It took something like a Troll to get us started in the first place a-and it took a curse to push me to realize something.”

“A curse?” She asked in confusion. Harry turned to her and took her hands in his.

“I was afraid you died at the Department of Mysteries.” Harry explained and her confused look changed to a face he’d never seen before.

“I didn’t, Harry.” She said with a soft smile. “And we both made it through the war.” She said in a quiet voice.

“I was trying to say that maybe that was the turning point, the time where I realized that I couldn’t live without you in my life.” He said shakily. “When we kissed, it felt natural ... wonderful ... It felt like I was flying for the first time, higher than I’ve ever been.” He tried to explain the foreign feeling that was overcoming him. “Hermione, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. To tell you the truth ...” He sighed and looked to their hands. “I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

“It’s ok, Harry.” She said softly. She cupped his chin and lifted his face so they were looking in each other’s eyes. “I’ve never felt this way before either.” She whispered, her eyes pleading for him to understand that she knew what he was talking about. “What I had with my parents doesn’t even compare. When I’m around you, I feel like I’m tipsy with happiness, even when we were surrounded by Death Eaters after Voldemort was destroyed ... When you smiled at me after that idiotic idea of yours.”

Harry smiled softly and cupped her cheek in return. “I couldn’t lose you, Hermione, if I had, you would have taken my heart with you.”

“Harry, you would have taken mine had I lost you.” She replied softly followed by a tender kiss.

A/N: Part 3 of that little bit of angst! The Veritaserum challenge was just too short, the Haiku had the same problem ... Now we have the conclusion! WOOT! Hope you liked it ;)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 28)
Challenge: A look at Harry & Hermione through someone else’s POV. (Friend, foe, mentor, stranger, animal...be creative!)
Title: Pets Mart
Word Count: 1,006

Words failed her as she watched him pace the room. She could watch that raven-haired man endlessly day in and day out for eternity. She sighed quietly as he sat at his desk and began writing again. Harry Potter was writing another letter and that would mean he’d need her to deliver it. Hedwig blushed under her feathers as she imagined him tying the letter to her leg and stroking her feathers lovingly. Harry, I wish you could know. She sighed inwardly as she ruffled her feathers. She tilted her head slightly as she watched him feverishly scribble the words that she would undoubtedly deliver to his human companion, Hermione Granger.

For a witch, she was tops, the best in her generation. Hedwig could see why Harry doted after her so. The snowy white owl sighed again, wishing she were Hermione but she’d have to be an anthropomorphmagus to even come close to competing with the lucky human. For all intents and purposes, Hedwig liked Hermione well enough. The girl needed to get her own owl but that didn’t matter, Hedwig knew when Hermione wanted to send something to Harry, actually when anyone wanted to send something to Harry and didn’t have the means to do so. And Hermione always wanted to do things that were nice for him.

Hedwig ruffled her feathers, gazing contently at the back of Harry’s head. He looks so much like a Romanian raven feather from behind ... She thought dreamily. She heard the scratching of a mouse on the windowsill but paid it no mind. When she was absorbed in her Harry, she couldn’t be disturbed. She straightened when the scratching of his quill stopped and looked at him expectantly. Please tie it to my leg ... She commanded him mentally.

Harry stood and crossed the room to the fidgeting bird. “Hedwig, are you ok?” He said concernedly as he stroked her feathers. He didn’t catch the shiver that went down her spine or the nervous tremble of her beak as she nipped his finger lovingly. “You had me worried for a second.” He said with a laugh that sounded like delicate wind chimes to Hedwig’s ears. “Could you take this to Hermione for me?” He asked quietly.

How can I refuse you? She thought as she fought desperately to keep her leg from trembling. She lifted it so gracefully, it surprised her and she had to control herself once again to keep from flitting about the room excitedly. That’s how you control your impulses, Piggie! She thought to herself with a regal air.

“Thank you, Hedwig, I’ll leave the window open for you.” Harry scratched under her chin and she almost lost her composure but she reigned herself in and nipped dazedly at his finger once again.

I’ll be back with her reply ... She thought to him giddily and flew out the window. She cringed at the stumble she’d made but relaxed when he didn’t notice. Oh, he’s asked her out on another date this weekend ... She smiled as the words magically transferred from the parchment to her mind. She really makes him happy ... I love that, he smiles more often. Hedwig sighed dreamily as she soared over the clouds, guided magically to her destination.

I love it when she runs her fingers through my hair. He thought happily. It makes me want to ... The ginger cat sighed happily as a loud rumble poured from his throat.

“Is my sweet kitty happy?” Hermione said in a sing-song voice.

Crookshanks nudged her hand and let out a scratchy, croaky meow of a sigh. You bet I am! He added as he began to kneed her leg. Oh, right there, yeah ... That’s the spot! The ginger cat nipped playfully at her other hand as Hermione scratched at the base of his tail. With a sigh, he collapsed into her lap.

“I wonder what Harry’s doing ...” Hermione said dreamily, issuing another meow from Crookshanks.

Whatever it is, it’s not as heavenly as this ... He replied silently. He was in heaven and that Harry fellow was not. He was a nice enough fellow, always making Hermione smile and laugh and Crookshanks could understand why he acted the way he did during the whole Sirius = Grim fiasco. I’m just glad that cat-hating weasel isn’t around much! He thought darkly. Loving that ‘rat’ ... Too bad they didn’t really know or it might have been different. What’s that smell? Oh ...

There was a fluttering of wings on the windowsill and Crookshanks hopped out of Hermione’s lap before he was surreptitiously dumped when she stood.

“Hedwig!” Hermione said with a smile. She crossed the room and stroked the bird’s white feathers as she was offered a new letter. “Thank you for delivering this to me.” Hermione said happily and handed the owl a treat. She read over the parchment and laughed before setting out her own writing supplies and replying.

So, is it another date? Crookshanks meowed to the visitor.

It is. Hedwig chirped in reply.

The two magical beasts looked at the smiling woman as she carefully wrote her letter.

She chooses her words wisely. Hedwig hooted after a moment. If I didn’t know she was a Human, I’d think she was spawned from Athena herself ...

That stupid Athena business again? Crookshanks snorted.

Hedwig jutted her beak in the air imperiously. All I care about is Harry’s happiness...

Oh, the owl gets testy ... Afraid that Hermione has stolen your precious? The half-kneazle drawled.

“Thank you for waiting, Hedwig.” Hermione said apologetically. “I didn’t mean to take so long with my reply.” She stroked the owl’s feathers and smiled gently as Hedwig nipped her finger. “Keep an eye on our Harry now; we don’t want him running when the big day gets here.” Hermione said with a sweet laugh.

He’d be stupid to run. Hedwig hooted in reply.

Run from what? Crookshanks mewled in confusion.

The white owl turned her head around before taking flight once more. Who’s the stupid one now? She chirped sarcastically before flitting off into the night.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 29)
Challenge: Harry & Hermione have a fight and make up.
Title: Through Good Times and Bad
Word Count: 1,000

Different people deal with pain in different ways and loss is one of those rare, few experiences that bring these differences to light. The accident was sudden, few expected or even thought such a tragedy could be levied against such a promising young family.

“Dearest friends and family.” Harry said while stifling back his unwanted tears. “What can I say about Ron Weasley? The brother I never had, the loving father I aspired to emulate, and the man I proudly look up to for his growth and achievements.” Stifled sobs came from the small group surrounding the twin coffins. Hermione crying freely as she held on to their daughter and Ron’s son Percy. Harry stopped to collect himself and felt his heart breaking once again at the sight of his small family with its newest addition.

He took a deep breath and continued. “His wife, Luna, though an outcast in the beginning, became one of the closest friends I could know aside from my beautiful wife. She grounded Ron and he her, bringing them both firmly into the real world.” A few sputtered laughs could be heard in the gathering. “I think I speak for everyone here, when I say that you’ve touched all of our hearts and lives in ways that nobody on this earth has or will again. I love you guys ...” With his eulogy finished, though in not as many words as he felt, Harry Potter walked to his wife and finally broke down in her arms. Percy latched to his waste and Lily sharing in her parents’ grief with a hug of her own.

Harry wept in his den, remembering the events that happened more than a month ago. Hermione and the children were sleeping but he couldn’t pull himself from the information that he’d uncovered in his unsanctioned assignment to find the truth behind his friends’ deaths.

For the past two weeks, he’d pulled every favor he could to get any tidbit of evidence that could prove that what happened wasn’t an accident. He spent long hours sifting through recorded Floo conversations, witness testimonies, and he’d even tried to obtain a Time-Turner but was turned down his request.

He looked up from his reading at the soft knock on the doorframe and smiled apologetically at his pregnant wife.

“Are you coming to bed, Harry?” She asked quietly but frowned when he turned back to the paperwork on his desk.

“In a little bit, Love.” He said absently, scanning over some new information he’d received via owl scarcely an hour before. “Just some more information that I need to look through.”

“You’ve been searching for the past month, Harry.” She said quietly as she crossed the room and laid her hands on his shoulders. “Has anything changed?”

“I refuse to believe it was an accident!” Harry said in frustration. “We’ve built up so many enemies it’s got to be some type of attack! If Ron hadn’t known me ...”

“Don’t blame yourself for this ... Harry, is-is that’s what happened? You blame yourself for Ron and Luna’s death?” She asked incredulously, spinning his chair around so he was looking at her.

“How many times have you received death threats?” Harry said angrily. “How many times? And you’re my wife!” He stood suddenly, causing the chair to roll back into his desk. “I need to find out who did this, if they were good enough to take down both Ron AND Luna, they could come after you ... or Lily ...” Harry added quietly as he turned from her.

“Don’t turn away from me, Harry!” She said evenly. “Everything points to an accident, I’ve looked over the paperwork with you!”

“DAMN IT! IT CAN’T!” Harry half shouted through gritted teeth. “IT ... JUST ... CAN’T!”

“Don’t take that tone of voice with me!” She said angrily as she spun him about. “I’ve done nothing but be there for you and the children! If you can’t accept the fact that they were in an accident on the way to the hospital and you keep pouring yourself into this wild goose chase ... Then don’t expect to find us here when you drag yourself away from this room, Harry.”

He looked at her as if she were crazy. “W-what?” He asked in a soft whisper, tears streaking down his face as her words sunk in. “You-you’ll leave?” He asked incredulously.

“If you’re not going to be there for us, Harry.” She said with a shaking voice, tears parading down her cheeks freely. “We-we won’t be here.” She stepped away to make her statement final. Harry took a step towards her but she kept away. “Harry, it’s time you figure out what’s more important: Comforting your grieving family or hunting down a needle in a haystack!” She said angrily and ran from the room, clutching her belly protectively even though she’d just started to show.

Harry looked after her in dumbfounded silence, not believing that the one good thing that happened in his life was coming to an end. He reached for the papers that he’d just received and started scanning them again but the tears in his eyes blurred the text and he threw the papers to the floor.

He was standing at the doorway to their bedroom, Hermione crying silently on the bed and without a word, crossed the room and sat beside her.

“I’m sorry.” He said simply, laying a hand on her back and rubbing gently. “Old habits die hard, Love.”

Hermione moved to a sitting position and wrapped her arms around him in the span of a second. He felt her warmth against his body and returned the hug he so desperately needed. “Harry, we’ve missed you.” She whispered into his chest. “Please come back to us ...”

“I’m here, Love, I’ve never left ... I was blind ...” He couldn’t stop the emotions from overwhelming him and he let out a sob. “Please don’t leave ...”

“I won’t, Harry ... just come back ...”

“I am.” He said softly and sealed his promise with a tender kiss.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 30)
Challenge: Harry inherits Sirius' flying motorbike. Will Hermione ride with him?
Title: Come With Me and Escape
Word Count: 1,000

The seemingly endless days stuck in a private room in St. Mungo’s were finally at an end and it as a shell-shocked Hermione Granger that stepped foot into the torrent of camera flashes and questions of a sea of reporters.

“Miss Granger, is it true that you were with Harry Potter when he finally defeated You-Know-Who?”

“Miss Granger, how long have you and Harry been an item?”

“Hermione, what was the final battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named like?”

“Were you scared?”

“Where is Harry Potter?”

Before she could postulate an answer, four Aurors appeared next to her and whisked her back into the hospital.

“Just when I was out of here.” She mumbled under her breath. “Is there a different way I can leave?”

“We’re working on a private portkey for you now, Hermione.” Kinsley Shacklebolt said in his deep, baritone voice. “We had to do the same for Harry.”

“When did he leave?” Hermione asked quickly as they seemingly wandered down random halls. “I stopped by his room and they told me he’d been discharged.”

“He left earlier this morning when you were asleep. I’m surprised he didn’t wake you when he visited.” Remus said with a smile. “He had legal business to attend to that was time critical. I’m sure he’d have waited for you if he could.”

Flashes of a groggy conversation came to mind and Hermione suddenly remembered Harry whispering that he loved her and a quick kiss on her temple. She blushed as the memories returned but was suddenly pulled from her reminiscing when they entered a vacant room.

“We’re here.” One of the others said.

“Harry left your portkey.” Remus said with a smile. “It’s ready when you are.”

Excitement welled within her heart as she nodded. “I’m ready to go.” She said breathlessly.

Remus smiled and held out an envelope. “The envelope is the portkey, I believe there’s something inside for you but you shouldn’t look until you arrive.”

Hermione nodded and gave the old werewolf a hug. “Thank you, Remus.” She whispered before pulling away.

Lupin smiled gently and handed her the envelope. She took it with shaking hands and looked at it expectantly.

“When is it supposed to activa ...” She asked when she suddenly felt like a fish on a line and was tugged forward through a rush of wind and a roar of color. She stumbled to a stop on a cliff overlooking the Irish Sea. “... te?”

She stood, bewildered by the scenery and watched as the sun began its slow descent to the rolling ocean. A flock of gulls floated by just as she remembered the contents of the envelope. With a shaking hand, she opened it and retrieved the parchment inside. She took a deep breath and unfolded the paper, willing herself to be calm.

My dearest Love,
I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you woke this morning, but after everything that’s gone on, I needed to tie up some loose ends before I left. As of today I am officially twenty-one and had to settle my parents’ and Sirius’ inheritance. That’s where I had to go this morning, I’m sure you don’t remember much of our conversation with the sleeping draught still in your system, but know that I love you. I hope Remus got this to you in time, with any luck, when you finish this, I’ll be by your side once again.
Love forever and always,
Harry

Hermione glanced around the area quickly to see if his uncanny ability to time things was still in effect. She sighed when the shrubs and trees were the only things around her and she turned back to the envelope. There was a small lump inside that she hadn’t noticed before, and emptied it into the palm of her hand. She smiled and set the tiny box on the ground before it grew several times larger. A note was attached, and she read it quickly.

Well, not after the letter, it was after you emptied the envelope that I’d arrive.

She hid a smile expecting him to suddenly appear behind her, but was instead greeted by the unmistakable rumble of a motorcycle engine. She turned this way and that but found neither Harry nor the mysterious motorcycle that kept growing closer. She turned back towards the cliff and gasped.

Harry Potter was astride an old Harley Davidson, dressed in jeans and black leather jacket. The part that amazed her was the hovering machine rumbling beneath him.

“I didn’t think you’d get to the box!” He said with a wide smile as he set down in front of her. “Open it!”

Hermione smiled widely and did as she was told. Inside, she found a matching helmet and leather jacket, along with a passport. “What’s the passport for?” She asked as Harry switched off the engine.

He laughed as he gathered her in his arms, greeting her properly with a kiss. “It’s about time I make good on that promise.” He said with a wide smile.

“Wait, you mean ...” Hermione's eyes widened with excitement.

Harry nodded. “It’s about time I take my wife on her honeymoon.” He said with a laugh as her arms wrapped around him.

“No more pretending?” She asked quietly with tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.

“Mrs. Potter, put on your jacket and climb aboard.” Harry said with a tenderness she had only recently been privy to witness. “This is one of the things Sirius left me and it’s our trip to Hawaii.”

Her fear of flying forgotten, Hermione quickly donned the helmet and jacket before climbing behind her once-secret husband. With a roar of the engine, Harry brought the motorcycle he’d once dreamed of into the air. He revved the engine a few times before they slowly floated west into the sinking sun, the woman of his dreams holding him tightly as their silhouette shrank to the size of a pinhole, then vanished in the orange and red disk that was waiting silently for them at the horizon.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 1)
Challenge: Harry. Hermione. Rain.
Title: Rain
Word Count: 999

“Today’s the day!” He said more confidently than he felt as he straightened his tie in the mirror. “I’ve waited long enough, she needs to know!” Harry Potter examined his reflection one final time before nodding. “Hermione, prepare to be swept off your feet!”

Grabbing the bouquet of daffodils and lilies, along with the traditional box of chocolate, Harry dashed for the door of his flat. He stepped into the hall and secured the locks with a wave of his hand.

“I hope she’s over him.” He whispered as he crossed the street and ran into an alley that was the closest designated Apparation point and disappeared without a sound, only to appear several short blocks from Hermione’s bungalow. Harry looked to the clear, blue sky and felt a warm wind tousle his hair. With a deep breath, he started on his determined stride towards her front door, nervously anticipating what her answer would be. He thought back to when she started dating Chad, how happy she’d been and how miserable it made him. That was the night he was going to ask her to dinner for their first date but she’d become enraptured with the muscle-bound oaf the moment she saw him.

Four months, two weeks, five days, twelve hours, fifteen minutes, and thirty seconds later, she broke off with the abusive slug and Harry was there to help her back on her feet. He cursed the man’s name but didn’t retaliate upon her request. Always the non-confrontational one... He thought darkly as he closed in on her street.

Harry rounded the corner, nervously preparing what he was going to say to her when he stopped dead in his tracks. His nervous smile faded and his face drooped when he saw the two of them kissing on the sidewalk outside her one-story flat. The excitement in him drained away and both arms fell to his sides as he felt the first of billions of rain drops hit his cheek.

For a moment, he was too mortified to move. Everything seemed to stand still and he didn’t realize that his hands were now empty, the box of chocolates spilling onto the concrete at his feet and the bouquet crumbling under its own weight as gravity pulled it from his limp hand. He felt more raindrops strike his face and it suddenly occurred to him that rain wasn’t salty. He wiped his cheek absently and stared at the moisture that had leaked from his wide, unbelieving eyes.

Harry looked up again to see that they had parted and he was suddenly overcome with panic. Not knowing what to do, he turned as quickly as his gelatinous legs would allow and began to walk away. Slowly at first then as the sudden realization of how idiotic he must look began to quicken his pace. His mood took the same turn, from giddy, nervous happiness to a quick onset of depression.

The weather seemed to mimic his mood as a sudden deluge washed over him. His glasses became useless and he stepped into the street, only to jump back when a horn screamed violently at him. He paused for a moment before starting off again.

He didn’t know how far he’d run or where he’d run to but the physical world didn’t seem to matter to him anymore. Turning blindly into an alley he leaned against a wall to catch his breath and instead began punching the unyielding brick without mercy.

“WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME!?” He cried out in agonized fury. His anger spent as quickly as it had come, he slowly slipped to the cobblestone street, wishing he’d had his invisibility cloak to hide him from the world.

“Harry?”

He hung his head in shame when his name was whispered behind him. “Hi, Hermione.” He said quietly, trying to calm himself down.

“I saw you run off...” She said concernedly.

“I hoped you wouldn’t...” He whispered. He didn’t realize just how close she was and jumped slightly when she laid a comforting hand on his back.

“Why don’t we get out of this rain?” She offered tenderly.

Harry didn’t argue as she guided him into a standing position and directed him to the Leaky Cauldron. He shook his head when he realized just how close he was to the reporters and gossipmongers when he’d broken down.

After a moment with Tom the two found themselves in a private room with a roaring fire. Hermione cast a drying charm on the two of them and she stepped up behind her best friend.

“You said you had something important to talk about?” She asked quietly. “I was waiting for you...”

“When Chad showed up... Yeah, I saw that.” He said quietly. “Look, i-it’s not really that important now, really.” He said quietly. “You can head on back to him if you’d like, I’ll be fine.”

Hermione turned him towards her and took his face in her hands. “Chad and I are through, Harry.” She said sternly. “He tried to force himself on me while I waited for you.”

Harry’s depression was suddenly pushed aside by a fierce, boiling anger. “What?” He said dangerously.

“Don’t worry... his parents can transfigure him from the cockroach I transfigured him into.” She spat. “I told him to stay away but he wouldn’t get the hint. I don’t really care if he makes it home safely or not!”

Harry forced himself to calm down and suddenly felt the throbbing pain in his hands, he glanced to them briefly but he couldn’t hide them fast enough.

Hermione looked at them sadly and quickly healed them with another wave of her wand. “What did you want to talk to me about?” She asked as he admired her handiwork. Harry felt his heart skip a beat as she bit her lip, obviously interested in what he had to say. She saw the look in his eyes and gently settled her warm, trembling hands on his cold, wet cheeks.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 2)
Challenge: Non-songfic Songfic
Title: Who Wants to Live Forever
Word Count: 2,000

With a trembling sigh, Harry took Hermione’s hands in his and led her to the soft sofa sitting in front of the fireplace. He pulled her down to the overstuffed cushions and released her, folding his in his lap as he tried to compose himself.

“Harry?” She asked tenderly, a look of profound concern on her face. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

Harry shook his head without looking up and with a tremendous amount of willpower, took a deep breath as if he were about to dive into the chilling depths of the Irish Sea. He looked up to her worry filled eyes, his face solemn and serious.

“Hermione...” He started, then gulped nervously as he watched her facial expressions change from worry to nervous fear then to a look he hadn’t seen directed at him before. “I know that we haven’t spent as much time together as I would have liked when the war started.” His voice started at its normal level and slowly degraded to a slight whisper as his gaze rested upon her soft, warm hands. “Do you remember what I said before we left for Voldemort?” He asked in almost pathetically desperate whisper.

She gently laid a hand on his clasped ones and nodded. “You said there wasn’t any time for us...” She whispered in perfect recollection of the talk they’d had. “And there was no place for us.”

Harry nodded silently as he let his hands part and allowed Hermione’s to slowly fill the space between them. He closed them again, as if he were holding a warm mug, trying to pull the warmth and comfort he needed from the simple contact.

“We kissed then...” She whispered so quietly it was as if she were trying to recall a hazy dream. “But we didn’t have any time afterwards with all of the Dementors and Death Eaters trying to stop us.”

Harry sighed, the weight of the world resting on his shoulders for all to see. “I found myself looking at the last few hours of my life.” He said in a dream-like trance. His eyes had glazed over as he remembered the grueling showdown with the Dark Lord. “I saw Ron slip away in a sea of black robes, yet you stayed by my side... You took the Cruciatus for me...”

“I knew what you were thinking.” She said reassuringly. “There wasn’t a chance in hell that I was going to let you die, Harry.” Hermione lifted his face to hers, smiling softly, telling him in their own special language that she would have died for him if she had to for him to live.

Harry returned the gesture, reluctantly, as he glanced at her lips, remembering the mind-numbing sensation he’d felt when they came together for their first and only kiss. He fidgeted slightly as he brought her hand to join the other one that he was already holding.

“Throughout the torture we went through, I kept thinking: who wants to live forever?” His voice broke as he relived the curses the two of them had endured and he smiled wistfully. “You made me realize that I did, I wanted to live forever. My parents, Sirius, you and Ron... Everyone I’ve cared about had or were sacrificing themselves for me so others could live in peace.

“When the prophecy began to fulfill itself and I was lying, broken on the floor at Malfoy Manner I saw no more chances... My luck had finally run out... Everything seemed pre-ordained and I could do nothing about it.”

“But...” Hermione said, trying to puzzle together what he was saying but Harry squeezed her hands slightly.

“I saw you bleeding to death.” Tears came to Harry’s eyes, his lower lip trembling as he forced himself to remember everything he’d locked away. “I saw you slipping from me and I was powerless to do anything...”

“But you did!” Hermione protested. “I remember! I looked into your eyes and then you were standing! I still don’t believe the amount of magic that was flooding from you after all your bones had been broken...” Tears were forming in her eyes as well, threatening to spill down her cheeks in a torrent. “I knew I had to hold on for you and almost did to the end...”

“Thank you.” Harry whispered as he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’ve never thanked you.” He said guiltily. “Never. For helping me get to Quirrell, for finding the information on the Basilisk, for pushing me to learn new spells, or for living through the Department of Mysteries.” He swallowed hard and shook his head when her mouth opened again. “I know I don’t have to, Hermione.” He whispered with a far-away look in his eyes. “I’ve been kicking myself for not thanking you earlier. You lost so much blood that you nearly died...” He stifled a sob that had tried to interrupt him. “I couldn’t live with myself without having told you how much I appreciate your help and for just being there for me... I didn’t want to thank you with your Eulogy...”

“That-that was really you that I saw?” She asked with wide eyes. Harry nodded. “I thought I was dreaming...”

“Albus warned against using Legilimency that way, but I wasn’t about to let you leave without me.” He said in a tiny voice that was weighed down with emotion. “So I entered your mind and held on to you...”

“You could have died with me!” She said harshly, Harry winced at the tone of her voice and she calmed herself before continuing. “That was a foolish thing to do, Harry!”

“I already got the third degree from Albus, Remus, and Arthur...” Harry said with a sigh. “I knew the risks, Hermione, every single one! But I wasn’t going to let another person that I cared about slip away from me again, not without a fight. I didn’t want to live without you in my life and if I had the slightest chance of keeping you with me, I was ready to risk everything to do it.” He looked down as his tears finally began to spill from his eyes. “I tried to tell you afterwards, but Chad kept you far enough away that I couldn’t reach you...”

“Chad was a mistake.” She said softly as she tilted his face back to hers again. “I was blind... but now...” She gently pressed her lips to his cheek, capturing one of his tears as it tried to run for his chin. “I’m...” Again, she caught another salty droplet of sadness with a soft, moist kiss on the other side of his blushing face. “Not.” She said finally then gently leaned in and ever so tenderly kissed him fully on the lips.

Harry’s heart had begun to pound like a jackhammer in his chest with the first surprising kiss. It nearly ripped through his robes when she made the trek to his opposite cheek. He lost all coherence when her lips caressed his and her fingertips gently slid from his face to his neck and her hands slowly encircled him, pulling her arms along with them. Harry’s trembling hands inched their way to her waist and with the creeping pace of ivy, pulled his arms around her. Within moments, that one, magical contact engulfed him in a desperate need to have her closer than he’d ever had her before. Their embrace tightened and both opened their mouths to deepen their kiss. Harry’s heart leapt into his throat as he realized she was about to pull away.

As they parted, oxygen enriched blood slowly returned to his brain, allowing him to think once again. Harry looked into Hermione’s eyes and smiled slightly at the seeming endless twinkles that were coming to life in the deep brown swirls that he’d found himself lost in during any number of encounters. He licked his lips in an attempt to continue savoring her flavor as she lifted a hand to cup his flushed cheek.

“I’ve waited for so long...” He said lovingly, caressing her cheek with his thumb. “I would rather spend forever with you in another life than spend a single second without you.” He whispered hoarsely as he rested his forehead against hers. “That’s why I took the only option I had, despite the risks... Every tick of the clock is an eternity to me when I’m with you, Hermione. With every glance, I’m blinded by how beautiful you’ve become. I realized that without you I’m nothing, but with you, I could be the man that I’ve always dreamed of being...” He gulped nervously as he finally allowed the wall around his heart to crumble, the one he’d worked so hard to keep in place so he wouldn’t be hurt, so rejection couldn’t taint him. With his defenses lowered, he looked deeply into Hermione’s eyes. “I love you, Hermione.” He whispered as he felt fear begin to swell within him.

A long, wide smile slowly crept across her face even as tears began to well in her eyes and her lower lip to tremble. “I love you too, Harry.” She said as her voice cracked and immediately enveloped his lips with hers in a desperate kiss as if it was the only way to seal the vows they’d just proclaimed to each other.

“Harry and I first met, properly anyway, on the Hogwarts Express. He and I became fast friends and I remember thinking to myself how great it was that the famous Harry Potter was my new friend.” Ron said, looking around and making eye contact with everyone. “During our first year, he, I, and Hermione became the best of friends. I may have been misled from time to time, but there were more good times than bad and the time we spent together made me feel like I had gained a brother instead of a friend.” He wiped a tear from his cheek, seeing Hermione do the same in her chair.

“We drifted apart over the years, which I truly regret, but he’d always be there even when we were arguing. He was the best man at my wedding, I made him the godfather of all of my children, and he’d become a member of our family without an official invitation.” Ron cleared his throat and raised his glass high in the air. “Harry Potter, I speak for every one of us here that we’ll miss you dearly. To Life!” He shouted.

Everyone in attendance lifted their glasses and responded, “To Life!” Before taking a drink from their respective goblets.

“Now, it’s with a happy heart that I give my congratulations to Mrs. Potter for stealing away my drinking mate and I wish the two of my best friends a life of love and happiness forever!”

Everyone in attendance clapped their hands as Harry and Hermione smiled back at their best friend. They shared a kiss before rushing down the red carpet to the exit, laughing and ducking the rice being tossed at them. They climbed into their awaiting carriage and Harry pulled his new wife into a gentle embrace as if she were made of the most delicate china.

“Who wants to live forever?” He whispered quietly in Hermione’s ear as a wide, happy smile filled her face. “I do.” He said as he kissed her lovingly. The carriage started off slowly, the couple inside blissfully unaware of everyone but themselves as they lifted off the ground and quietly disappeared into the sky.

Ron wrapped an arm around Luna’s shoulders and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. “It took them long enough... It’s been forever since I’ve seen what they had.” He whispered, watching the spot where the carriage had disappeared.

Luna looked at him dreamily. “Who waits forever anyway?” She asked quietly and laid her head on his shoulder.

Ron shook his head. “I’m glad they didn’t.” He said finally before he pulled his pregnant wife into his arms. “Let’s go home.”

A/N: I had a bit of extra space at the end and decided it would be perfect to add the scene of Ron and Luna at the end. I hope you liked it ;) I couldn’t leave the last cliffhanger just dangling everyone with no hope of rescue ;) This ficlet was inspired by the song, “Who Wants to Live Forever” by Queen. The lyrics are as follows:

There’s no time for us,
There’s no place for us,
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us.

Who wants to live forever,
Who wants to live forever.....?
There’s no chance for us,
It’s all decided for us,
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us.

Who wants to live forever.
Who dares to love forever,
When love must die.

But touch my tears with your lips,
Touch my world with your fingertips,
And we can have forever,
And we can love forever,
Forever is our today,
Who wants to live forever,
Who wants to live forever,
Forever is our today,
Who waits forever anyway?

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 5)
Challenge: Harry/Hermione feed/eat from the other's plate at a restaurant.
Title: A Dash of Love
Word Count: 1,000

Harry was reluctant to go home that day, due to both the weather and the fact that Hermione’s ankle was still swollen. But, if the truth be known, Harry Potter didn’t want to leave the embrace of the woman he loved and it seemed that she was reluctant as well. Regardless of their feelings, they both decided it would be best for Harry to head out for the night so Hermione could get her rest and allow the healing draught to work properly.

“Dry off when you get home.” She scolded playfully. “I don’t want you getting ill right when things became more interesting than usual!”

Harry laughed and grabbed up his cloak. “I’ll be by at noon, that should be plenty of time for the potion to work and we can try out the lunch menu at that Greek restaurant.”

“Mmm, sounds fine by me.” She said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Harry threw his cloak over his shoulders and fastened it tightly to him as he opened the door and stepped into the pouring rain. Rushing through the pelting sheets of water, Harry crossed the street and dodged under the awning of a hotel, with another mad dash, he was at the closest Apparation point and with a pop, ran from another alley straight to the Greek restaurant they were at previously. After setting a reservation for lunch, he was in the alley once again, apparating home.

“Harry?” Hermione’s voice came from his coffee table. “Harry aren’t you home yet?”

Harry hung his cloak and rushed to the mirror which was not displaying his reflection but Hermione’s frowning face. “Hey, just got back...” He said panting as he plopped onto the couch. “How’s your ankle feeling?”

“It took you this long to get home?” She asked incredulously. “Did you jump in every puddle on your way there?”

Harry laughed and shook his head. “No, I stopped by and made reservations, that place is pretty busy and I wanted to make sure our lunch date wasn’t going to be disrupted by not having a place to sit.”

Hermione’s frown disappeared and a small smile spread across her lips. “I could get used to this, you know?” She said with a slight laugh.

“Well, I try.” He said with a laugh of his own. “I still need to dry off, you mind if I set you down for now?”

“Not at all.” She said with a dismissive wave. “I’ll get ready for bed and see you when you’re done.”

Harry smiled and blew her a kiss before setting the mirror back on the table. Within a few minutes, he was dry and in a pair of pajamas. He checked the mirror but it was dark so he climbed into his bed and waited for her to pick up.

“I’m... back.” She said with a grunt. “You never know how much you need your feet until you’ve injured one.” She said with a laugh, scooting under her covers.

“The same can be said about arms.” Harry replied with a chortle. The two of them laughed and chatted well into the night, falling asleep with the mirrors in each other’s hands.

Harry awoke the next morning to Hermione’s voice right next to his head. He smiled and looked blearily at the pillow next to him, expecting to see Hermione lying beside him.

“Morning.” She said with a smile from the mirror.

“Morning.” He said with a tired yawn. “I don’t know if the mirror is good enough for me anymore...”

“Not good enough?” She asked incredulously, but the smile on her face belied any irritation or hurt. “I suppose you’re right.” She whispered, her eyes twinkling. “Why did it take us so long?”

“I seem to recall training and you and Ron dating.” Harry said with a smirk. “But I’m sure things happened the way they did for a reason.”

“I guess so.” She said with a shrug. “Are you sure this is what you want?” She asked gesturing with her free hand to her face and hair.

Harry smiled gently and nodded. “We’ve seen each other in worse shape than morning hair.” Hermione laughed at his wink. “You’re beautiful, Hermione, and I need to get dressed so I can put this mirror away... It’s not the same as the real thing...”

“Then what are you waiting for?” She said with a playful laugh. “Get dressed and let yourself in, I’ll be in the shower.”

Harry wasted no time and within five minutes was opening the door to her flat. “I know I’m early, but I couldn’t stay way.” He called to her bedroom.

“I couldn’t wait either.” She said with a smile behind him. He turned with a laugh and they caught each other in a tight hug.

“This is the type of morning greeting I can deal with.” He said after they’d properly kissed in greeting. “Why don’t we get lunch? We have the rest of the day to spend together.”

They were at the restaurant within minutes and sitting at the same table as they did on their first date. Their orders were placed and a few minutes later, sitting happily in front of them.

“Harry, you have to try some of this spanakopita!” She said, lifting a bite sized piece on a fork to Harry’s open mouth.

“Mmm, that is good.” Harry said as he savored the buttery filo dough, spinach and cheese dish. “You’ve got to try this kataifi...” He took a piece of the confection between his thumb and forefinger and gently placed it in Hermione’s mouth. Before he could pull his fingers away, however, she captured them with her lips and sucked the honey from them.

“Mmm...” She said with a glint in her eyes. “Perfect.”

“I think I’m going to enjoy having you as my girlfriend, Miss Granger.” Harry said seductively as he opened his mouth for an offered loukoumades, sucking the honey from her fingers in the same way she had his.

A/N: This is a continuation of the “Kiss The Cook” 3 parter. I hope you like it ;)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 6)
Challenge: Hermione/Harry ends up in St. Mungo's and the other comforts them.
Title: Terrors and Twins
Word Count: 1,000

“THERE’S NOWHERE FOR YOU TO HIDE, POTTER!” Draco Malfoy bellowed as he and five other Death Eaters chased after him. With a desperate need, he grabbed his cramped stomach and continued his flight. “THERE’S A NEW DARK LORD, POTTER, AND YOU’RE NOT GOING TO STOP THIS ONE!”

Harry Potter gasped for breath, the oxygen burning his throat and lungs. His cramps worsened as he struggled to open the door in front of him. Blood was rushing through his ears at an alarming rate causing them to be so sensitive he could hear the heavy breathing of Goyle from a block away.

There’s no time! He thought desperately as he shoved his shoulder into the door, breaking it down with a strength he didn’t know he possessed. I have to get to St. Mungo’s!

He stepped into the cold, dark warehouse, desperate to find a fireplace or something that could be used for quick transport. Without his wand, he couldn’t call the Knight Bus and it was only a matter of time before Malfoy caught up with him.

Harry took a step and felt a massive stitch in his side as if someone were stabbing him. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arm around himself and half-ran, half-limped towards the offices. Just as he set his foot on the steps, the door he’d just run through was blown of its hinges. Without looking back, he ran up the stairs and barreled through another door.

As luck would have it, there was a fireplace in the old warehouse office. Harry ran to the hearth, pulled out a bag of Floo powder and looked up when the door to the office burst open again.

“Time’s up, Mudblood!” Draco spat from behind his mask. Harry caught a glimpse of his pursuer in a mirror over the mantle and gasped as his reflection was lit by a green light.

“Hermione!” Harry screamed at the top of his lungs as he shot bolt upright from the sitting room sofa. He glanced around, ready to run, but realized that he was at home, not in a warehouse office. His eyes widened when he remembered that his wife was out shopping and with a quick glance at the clock, came to the startling revelation that she was two hours late.

Without a thought, he grabbed his wand and his pouch of Floo powder and concentrated on the address he’d seen in his dream. With a shout, he stepped into the green flames the magical dust had created in his fireplace and was whisked away to stumble into an abandoned warehouse’s office.

“Hermione?” He called desperately as he stepped forward. He slipped on the wet floor and looked down to see red mixed with a clear, slippery fluid. “No...” He whispered in shock and looked around for a sign of struggle. The dust was disturbed near the door and a single set of footprints trailed from the mass at the opening to the fireplace.

Harry shook his head as tears began to slip from his eyes uncontrollably. “I have to think.” He said desperately and looked at the floor once again. He hadn’t noticed the shards of a large mirror lying on the floor and he turned to look above the mantle. A broken mirror greeted him, along with a crater that could have only been created by the impact of a powerful spell. Hope welled in him as he bent to examine a large shard of the mirror and found blood on the very sharp point. The clear fluid that had mixed with soot, dust, and blood trailed into the fireplace where a larger puddle awaited.

“St. Mungo’s!” He said quickly and threw in a pinch of powder. A second later, he stumbled into the lobby and he made a mad dash towards the information desk. “My wife! Is she here?” He asked desperately.

“Harry? We just tried contacting you at your house!” Susan Bones said as she hurried to him.

“Hermione, the baby!” He said with a pleading voice as she latched onto her arms. “Are they all right?”

“She got here just in time.” Susan said as she led him down one of the many corridors. “We were able to stop the blood loss and the babies are coming right now.” She handed him a set of mediwizard robes which he donned without question before he was let into the operating room.

“H-Harry ...” Hermione said with a weak gasp as she settled back in her pillows. Her face was pale and filled with sweat, the bandage on her shoulder soaked anew with fresh blood. No words were spoken as he closed the distance to cradle her in his arms. “Malfoy... It was Malfoy...” She said with a tired slur.

“Push, Hermione.” The mediwizard said urgently. “The first one is almost here!”

Holding onto her hand in desperation, Harry helped her into a sitting position as she grunted, followed by a scream as her shoulder wound reopened.

“I’ve got the shoulder!” Susan said hurriedly, yet in a panic. “Concentrate on pushing!” Her wand was out in a heartbeat, and within moments, Hermione’s wound was resealed, the look of pain diminishing as the wail of a baby was heard.

“One more time!” The mediwizard said encouragingly. “We’re almost done!”

With a great push, Hermione collapsed back on the bed, spent. “H-H-Harry...” She whimpered weakly. “Take care of the babies... of Lily and P-Percy.” Tears began falling down her face as her eyelids drooped. “Promise me...”

“You’re not going anywhere, Love.” He said as tears continued to streak down his cheeks. “You’re going to be fine...” He couldn’t help the crack in his voice as she shook her head.

“H-H-Harry... p-promise...” She whispered, “Promise me, Love...”

Harry pulled her into his arms. “I-I promise, Hermione, Love...”

“Step back, Harry!” Susan said, gently pulling him away from his wife. “Type O positive, five pints!” Susan shouted as she magically attached a tube to Hermione’s arm.

A/N: Drat it all! I can't believe that I ran out of room AGAIN! Well, this is a really evil cliffhanger, but I could not avoid it. This is a continuation of "Through Good Times and Bad", the June 29th challenge.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 7)
Challenge: A Proposal...
Title: The Witness
Word Count: 998

She had never seen him so nervous in her life. The first time going to Hogwarts was a childish twitch. Before he left to fight Voldemort was a slight shiver in a chill wind. No, the man was far more nervous than she had ever seen. Harry Potter continued to pace around his sitting room, looking into the mirror from time to time, his face paling each time he opened his mouth.

“Hermione, we’ve known each other since we were eleven.” He started once again. “I can’t think of a time when I wasn’t happy you were in my life and I don’t want you to leave it.” He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “No, that won’t work!”

As Harry went back to pacing, Hedwig let out a long sigh that sounded like an over-exaggerated hoot. She ruffled her feathers and watched as the human she so desperately loved started on his nervous path around the room once again.

I wish I could talk to him... help him in some way... She thought glumly to herself. Hedwig was happy for Harry, truth be told, she was jealous beyond belief that Hermione had captured his heart, but there was little the snowy feathered bird could do. She looked out the window into the heavens and sighed again.

“Are you alright, Hedwig?” Harry asked suddenly, startling the bird from her reverie. “You seem upset...” Harry stroked her white feathers and smiled lovingly at her. “Is my pacing bothering you? I’ll stop, I’m just nervous.”

Hedwig nipped his finger gently; trying to tell him that she was fine and only wished she could help. The gesture brought a smile to his face and he caressed her feathers once again.

“I wish you could talk back.” He said quietly, stroking her feathers the entire time. “I can’t put how I feel into words and I need some help...” He sighed and turned back to the mirror, practicing another proposal in the mirror.

Hedwig looked out the window once more and her eyes widened, a soft, blue-white light streaked from the heaven and struck her in the chest before she could react.

“Hedwig?” Harry called concernedly as he saw the phenomena in the mirror’s reverse world. “HEDWIG!” He shouted when he saw her fall from her perch to the floor. He ran to his owl’s side, but stumbled back a step or two when she began to glow.

What’s happening?! Hedwig thought in a panic, feeling herself elongate, her wings change, her marvelously sharp talons pinching together. She hooted frantically before she passed out.

“H-Hedwig?” Harry asked tentatively, stroking her head carefully. “A-Are you alright?”

“Harry...” She whimpered. “Wh-where am I?”

“You’re on the couch.” He said quietly.

“You heard me?!” She shouted in surprise and opened her eyes. Harry Potter was looking at her with concern and worry in his eyes, but the biggest emotion she could see was a vast curiosity. “How can I talk?” She asked when her hand flew to her mouth. HAND?!

“You should look in the mirror.” Harry said quietly, handing her one from the coffee table.

Hedwig took the offered device with shaking hands and held it up in front of her. She gasped at the beautiful woman staring back at her. “By Athena!” She whispered in reverence as she touched her long, curly platinum blonde hair and looked into her yellow eyes. “I-I’m Human?!” Thoughts began to swirl in her mind as she tried to figure out just how her beloved goddess had decided to grant her deepest desire.

“You seem as confused and surprised as I do.” Harry said from the chair beside her. “Are you alright?”

Hedwig slid her hand under the blanket she was under, caressing her new body and smiling despite herself as she felt the full womanhood she’d been granted. “I think so.” She said after a moment. She looked nervously to Harry and offered him a slight smile. “We both wished for the same thing and Athena’s granted it.” She said excitedly.

Harry shook his head in bewilderment. “Athena, the Greek Goddess?” He whispered in disbelief.

“The gods exist.” Hedwig said with a smile, enjoying the fact she could smile at her beloved Harry finally. “They are hidden to those who don’t believe, just as magic is to muggles.” She rose to a sitting position and the blanket covering her perfect, athletic figure slipped off of her.

Harry quickly averted his eyes and blushed profusely. “I think I have something that you can wear, I’ll be right back.” He said nervously and dashed upstairs.

Hedwig watched him in confusion before looking down and blushing herself. “Ah, right, Human modesty.” She said with a nod and drew the blanket to her chin with a slight smile. She looked under the covering and smiled to herself, examining the wonderful body she’d been given. I could... With Harry... She thought happily, her blush deepening as her fantasies flitted through her mind.

“Here you are.” Harry said with a nervous laugh, handing her a T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. “I don’t have any women’s underclothes here. I hope these will work...” He immediately turned around after Hedwig accepted the garments. “So, Athena granted your wish...” He said nervously. “You wanted to be Human?”

Hedwig was struggling with the clothes she’d been offered. “I...” She growled in frustration. “How do you put this on?” She said disdainfully. “I’ve seen you wear them, I just don’t know how you work them!”

Harry laughed and turned around with his eyes closed. He reached for her head and helped her put the T-shirt on. He peeked then smiled, content that she had the long shirt covering her intimate parts. “The pants are the same, put your legs into the big end with the string in front...”

Hedwig sighed in relief when she was dressed and smiled up at Harry. “Thank you, Lo... Harry,” She said quickly. Be careful! She hissed to herself.

A/N: Yes, another cliffie *argh* I can't seem to get with it this week! Harry needs some help and look who's going provide it ;) Sequel to Pets Mart.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 8)
Challenge: The Beach...
Title: Egypt, Teeth, and a Sandy Beach
Word Count: 1,000

Mornings: Calm, serene, and peaceful... Or at least they used to be when The-Boy-Who-Lived was a bachelor. Everything changed when Hermione moved in with him after their first explosive night together. Mornings were now filled with the most beautiful woman curled up next to him, kissing his neck until he woke for the day.

“Mmm... I don’t want you to stop, but I don’t want to get up either...” He complained half-heartedly.

“Harry...” She whispered silkily into his ear before nibbling on his earlobe. “Let’s go someplace different this holiday.”

Harry rolled to his back and pulled her into a surprisingly quick hug, causing her to both squeak in surprise and laugh at the same time. “Can I pick the place this time?” He said with a hopeful smile.

“I was looking forward to going to the Louvre...” Hermione said with a pout.

“You’ve been there before,” Harry said with a comforting pat on her back. “You want to go someplace you haven’t before.”

She sighed and laid her head on his chest, languidly running a finger in circles on his chest. “Where do you want to go then?” She asked sweetly, kissing him on the cheek before returning to her lazy ministrations.

“I don’t know,” Harry admitted with a soft chuckle. “I need to do some research, but let me pick where we go this time.”

“Are you telling me that archaeological dig in Egypt wasn’t fun?” She asked in mock disbelief, trying hard to hide the smile that wanted to burst out and announce itself to her scowling boyfriend.

“Let’s see, we ran into that mummy, you screamed when that scarab shell landed in your hair, the sunburns we’d both gotten, not to mention the lovely smell in the air...” He smirked. “The only redeeming part of the trip was I got to spend it with you, but I have my limits with the locales we spend our time together.”

Hermione let her laugh see the light of day. “It didn’t really sit too well, did it?” She asked after she snorted out another bit of laughter.

Harry joined in and shook his head. “No, I don’t think it did, but I did enjoy the hotel, the air conditioning, the giant bathtub...” He said seductively as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“Mmm... The bathtub...” A wistful, dreamy quality sidled itself in Hermione’s eyes as she reminisced about their last trip and the one saving grace they’d both shared.

“I think I still have the teeth marks...” He said cheekily and tried to roll over to feel his bum.

“You do not!” Hermione shrieked and slapped his chest playfully, causing both to laugh raucously once again.

“I should get to work.” She said after the laughter quieted down to bits of chuckling here and there. “I can’t be late or I’ll get in trouble this time.”

“Arthur wouldn’t punish you!” Harry said with a snort. “But that’ll give me time to shop for our holiday.”

“Alright, you can pick this time, but if it turns out to be anything like Ron’s movie night choices, I take back over!” She scolded after a final kiss. “I’ll see you tonight, Love.”

“Don’t bite anyone at work today!” Harry said with a mischievous grin from the bed.

“You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?” She scowled after her head appeared through the proper hole in her jumper.

“I would be surprised if poor Neville had lunch with you in your office again...” Harry shook his head with mock sympathy. “Imagine, reaching for his bag of crisps and meeting a mouth full of gnashing teeth...” He ducked the suddenly flying shoe and laughed when he saw her fighting the smile that wanted to betray her attempted angry look.

“Keep that up and you can say goodbye to number four.” She said in a huff, fastening her robes hurriedly. She smiled victoriously when he paled and grabbed her pocketbook. “Be good now, and watch out for that pack of girls we ran into a few months back, I hear they’ve gotten more desperate...” She said in a sickly, sweet voice before heading out the door. She looked back, blew him a kiss and winked.

Harry watched her leave with a grin on his face and didn’t move until after a good, long mid-morning nap. Afterwards, he hurriedly got dressed and bolted out the door to the nearest travel agency. A few hours later, he emerged from the office with a handful of brochures and a narrowing list of exotic getaways. He made it back home before Hermione had and as luck would have it, narrowed the trip to two tropical paradises. A quick portkey spell was set on the pair, meant to activate when they both had hold of the brochure, and he smiled as he packed the very few items he knew they’d need, or not, depending on their mood.

“Harry? I’m back!” He heard her call from the front door. Chuckling with glee, he grabbed the lone suitcase and with a smile, set it in front of his beautiful girlfriend. “What’s this?” She said with sparkling eyes.

“We’re now free to go on holiday,” He said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “The plans are set, we’re packed, and ready to go...”

“But there’s only one suitcase,” She said in confusion.

“I enlarged the insides and shrank what we needed, we’ll be fine.” He said with a smile. “Take the handle and I want you to choose one of these envelopes. No peeking! We stay where we end up.”

She glanced at him skeptically, but did as she was instructed. With the familiar tug behind their navels and the whisk through the wind and color, they stumbled into the white sands of a beach that overlooked a clear, blue ocean.

“Harry, it’s beautiful...” She whispered quietly and looked up when he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“You sure are...” He whispered before kissing her tenderly.

A/N: Hmm, I don’t know if the title does this justice *ponder* I guess I’ll just have to smile and nod, waving happily as if I know what I’m doing! This was the sequel to: The Harry Potter Fan Club (Harry & Hermione deal with their fame in the wizarding world.) Hope you liked it :) I was not quite fully in the right frame of mind to warn myself that I should have acknowledged that sleep is one of the things that we desperately need but I seem to have left at the gate when I wrote this story... Perhaps if I built a large, wooden badger... *ponder* "OOOH, Look! No Cliffies!"

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 9)
Challenge: Random Quote Challenge [Sequel Week]
Title: A Seeker's Tale
Word Count: 2,000

The following weeks passed by in a blissful haze. After Harry and Hermione finally, in the eyes of many of the students in the school, actually in the eyes of everyone that knew them, got together, the news erupted like a wildfire in dry grasslands. Bets were called in, galleons in the thousands were exchanged from losing parties to winning parties and in the case of the Slytherins, back into the hands of the losing parties who became the winning parties after a well placed stunning spell.

The head boy and girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were excited and nervous with their newfound leap forward in their relationship. Little things they did for one another had suddenly held so much meaning in their simplicity that both were flabbergasted when they realized they did them. Harry caught Hermione straightening his tie without asking, he’d found himself tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears and it still made her blush. As the weeks wore on, their love for one another deepened farther than they, or anyone else, realized was possible.

“Look at Saint Potter and his mudblood basking in their post-war glory!” Draco spat angrily from the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. He’d been watching the two love birds fill each other’s plates and laugh all morning. “You know what I think of his precious, little, mudblood, Goyle?” He asked contemptuously.

Goyle grunted in thought and it looked like he was truly having a hard time with the concept of thought when his other dim-witted companion opened his mouth.

“Uh... Because you can’t polish a turd?” Crabbe blurted out with a bewildered look on his face, apparently trying to understand what he’d just said himself.

“You’re in rare form today, Crabbe,” Draco said with a snort. “You’re right, though, Granger is a turd that just can’t be prettied up, no matter what dress you put on her, she’ll always be a mudblood!”

He didn’t know what was happening, but as his disdainful tirade about Hermione went on, his voice kept getting higher and higher until it came out in a squeak reminiscent of a chipmunk on helium.

“What in the bloody hell?!” He squeaked furiously, standing bold upright and knocking his stool to the ground. He turned in fury at the hand on his shoulder only to grow even angrier at the smirk on the redhead in front of him.

“Ah, I see your voice has finally caught up with your animagus form, Malfoy...” Ron said with a wide smile. “You see, that spell that did nothing to that Death Eater I hexed? Well, it affects them after they’ve insulted my friends or family...”

The color drained from Draco Malfoy’s face, seemingly reverting him to normal coloration but then his face became a sickly shade of green. Crabbe and Goyle, though they hadn’t said anything directly against Harry, Hermione or the Weasleys took on the same pea-green color as their leader and all three bolted from the Great Hall.

With a bout of laughter from three of the houses, a round of clapping and congratulations for the prank that Ron just pulled on the three Slytherins, Ronald Weasley made his way to his customary seat next to his two best friends.

“That’s what that spell did?” Hermione asked in confusion. “But you only cast stunners and the furnunculus a few times...”

“They didn’t know that,” Ron said with a guffaw as he began filling a cloth with mounds of food.

“Are you feeding an army?” Ginny asked with a sneer of disgust. “I hope that isn’t all for you!”

“My sweet, sweet, sister,” Ron said with a royal air to his tone of voice, “this is indeed all for me, you know my credo: Never eat more than you can lift.” He smiled when she rolled her eyes. “And I, for one, can lift quite a bit, thank-you-very-much!”

Harry stifled a laugh at his friend’s comment and happened to look at his new watch. “Oy, Ron! We’re going to be late for Divination!” With a mad dash to gather their books, Harry kissed Hermione on the cheek then he and Ron bustled out of the Great Hall for the North Tower.

The class started in it’s usual fashion with Professor Trelawney predicting Harry’s death at the hands of an unknown foe. She went into great detail with this prediction, considering they were working with advanced Tarot mixed with Palmistry, and before Harry knew what was happening, Ron was shaking him.

“Harry, wake up!” He hissed in his ear.

“What?” Harry asked from his overly warm chair. He’d forgotten to open the window next to him and did so immediately.

“You were sleeping so soundly you started to snore, mate!” Ron hissed again as Professor Trelawney made her rounds about the classroom.

“Well, I didn’t know I was asleep,” Harry whispered back as he looked up Ron’s cards in his advanced copy of Tarot: The Future or Solitaire? “I was dreaming I was awake then I woke up and found myself asleep!”

“What?” Ron asked confusedly, staring at Harry with wide, goggling eyes.

“I was asleep, Ron,” Harry said with a shake of his head then began to read Ron’s prediction. “It looks like a beast will dress like a fool and trample on your parade...” Harry read from the book. “And it seems that the moon will beat you about the head and shoulders with... it seems a trout or some type of fish...”

“Ohh, your inner-eye is quite clear today, Mr. Potter!” Professor Trelawney said with an excited glee about her. “But I’d be careful of that trick step with the furry slippers... It could mean your doom...” She said mysteriously as she looked over his cards and stepped back dramatically causing Harry and Ron to roll their eyes.

Class ended semi-abruptly for Harry who had slept through half of the class, it seemed that Professor Trelawney thought he was in a trance for forty-five minutes before Ron shook him awake.

“You’ve got all the bloody luck in the world, Harry!” Ron huffed as they made their way to Transfiguration. “You’re still on the Quidditch team, and captain to boot! You made head boy without being a prefect first and now this!”

“Oh, and don’t forget Hermione,” Harry said as they met her at the foot of the stairs.

“What about me?” She asked skeptically as Harry wrapped an arm around her.

“I was just telling Harry how lucky he was...” Ron said with the shake of his head. “The git fell asleep in Divination and Trelawney thought he was in a trance... For three-quarters of the class!”

“But to answer your question,” Harry said with a laugh, “I was just telling Ron how lucky I am to have you.”

“Don’t start with that mush stuff around me,” Ron said warningly as he covered his eyes. “I’m just getting used to the two of you being together and the three of us going back to being friends again... I don’t need pictures burned into my skull.”

Hermione snorted then kissed Harry full on the lips, much for her boyfriends benefit as for Ron’s and the couple laughed as they all took their seats in McGonagall’s class.

The class seemed to zip by at a pace usually unheard of during one of the Headmistress’ sessions and Ron was still fighting with his assignment.

“Mr. Weasley,” Professor McGonagall huffed as she stepped up to his desk and looked down her long, hooked nose at him. “This is a review session for your N.E.W.T.s and you can’t transfigure a simple pile of rocks, glue, and your spool into its final form?!”

“Well,” Ron said sheepishly with a shrug, “this is HALF of a light blue tool box.”

“Half will not do! Ten points from Gryffindor!” She said with a sneer. “Now I expect you to do better on your N.E.W.T.s!”

The rest of the day flew by in a flurry of charmed feathers, owl post, and Neville Longbottom’s timely rescue from the roped off swamp that had been left as a memorial to Fred and George Weasley.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Gryffindor common room working feverishly on a report that was due in their advanced potions class the next day. Actually, Ron was the only one who was working feverishly since Harry and Hermione were snogging happily on the sofa having finished their homework a week in advance.

“You two irritate the bloody hell out of me!” Ron barked from the table. “How did you each write a fifty foot essay for tomorrow? I can barely find any answers!”

“Ron, the best way to become acquainted with a subject is to write a book about it,” Hermione said with a dismissive wave. “If you did your research, you’d know what I’m talking about and no, you can’t copy my essay.”

Ron growled in frustration when Harry and Hermione left for their personal suite, the young couple interested in spending some alone time together and not listening to their aggravated friend. “Night, Ron,” Harry called from the portrait hole. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow, match against Slytherin in the afternoon and all...”

“Night!” Ron snapped back, running his fingers through his hair maddeningly.

The night went by far too quickly for the likes of Harry and the next day, they turned in their assignments.

“Why do you insist on handing in such over-done work?” Snape asked with a sneer as Hermione handed in her essay.

“I just researched it thoroughly,” she said with a straight face and ignored the look on his face.

“No one likes a show-off, Miss Granger,” Snape drawled. “That will be ten points from Gryffindor.”

Potions went by just as it always did, only with tougher assignments in the practical session than in previous years. They had to brew a hybrid potion from any two years above fourth for this class and it was with a collective sigh of relief when Neville Longbottom finally turned in his potion without damaging a thing. The rest of the students finished quickly, anticipating the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin that would be happening in a few short minutes. The bell rang and with classes cancelled for the rest of the day for the final match of the year, all the students and faculty made their way excitedly to the pitch.

The game kicked off frightfully full of explosive energy. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be working in perfect harmony for once, shattering the broom of one of the Gryffindor chasers early in the match. Harry spotted the snitch on several occasions, but he was cut off by a bludger from one of the Slytherin gorillas on every attempt.

“Have enough, Potter?!” Draco spat from behind him. “Ready to lose the house cup your last year?!”

“I think it’s the other way around, Ferret-boy!” Ron yelled as he overheard the taunts. “Oy, Harry! Ever have that feeling something bad’s going to happen?” Ron shouted as he spotted Crabbe and Goyle below his friend. When Harry turned to look at him, Ron smiled at the angle the motion brought Draco. “Well, you better DUCK...”

Harry did as he was told immediately and felt a bludger whiz by him. He heard a cry of alarm and watched as Draco Malfoy fell to the ground below, landing firmly on his back. The snitch was hovering just a few meters above the fallen player and with one of his famous dives; Harry caught the golden ball, landing right beside his arch-nemesis. The rest of Gryffindor landed in a circle around the now-conscious Slytherin and bent over into his field of view.

“Look at it this way, Malfoy...” Ron said with a spot on imitation of the blonde.

“Pain is weakness leaving the body,” Ginny finished with a grin.

“I hate losing, more than I like winning,” Draco growled, unable to move from the spot he was in.

“Welcome to the real world,” Harry said with a smirk as the bleachers emptied onto the pitch. Harry lifted the Quidditch cup high in the air with one hand, and his free arm wrapped around the waist of his cheering girlfriend.

A/N: There you have it! The sequel to Romance Found, Friendship Lost 1-3! There’s quite a lot packed in there and I don’t really care about the 39 or so extra words that I went over. I’ve been good with the word count previously! :) I sort of got the idea for the last scene from "A Knight's Tale!" Hope you liked it! :) The quotes I used are as follows:

1. You can't polish a turd. [Joel]
2. Never eat more than you can lift. [Miss Piggy]
3. Well I didn't know I was asleep. I was dreaming I was awake then I woke up and found myself asleep! [Stan Laurel]
4. Well, this is HALF of a light blue tool box. [Jonnadiah]
5. The best way to become acquainted with a subject is to write a book about it. [Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)]
6. No one likes a show-off [Ian Fox]
7. Ever have that feeling something bad going to happen? well, you better duck... [Comic Tsunami Sez]
8. Pain is weakness leaving the body. [Frank Alex]
9. I hate Losing, more than I like Winning. [Christos Alex]
10. Welcome To The Real World [Angelus]

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 12)
Challenge: Harry/Hermione receives an anonymous gift/card/letter that they think is from the other... but it's not...
Title: The Tip of the Iceberg
Word Count: 996

“Mister Potter, you’re going to have to leave,” a mediwizard said gently, yet in a commanding voice.

“I’m not leaving my wife!” Harry hissed trying to get a glimpse of Hermione’s paling form behind the curtains.

“Harry, if you don’t leave this room instantly, we’re going to have to stun you,” Susan said warningly. She raised her wand level with him and frowned. “The more time we spend removing you gives us less time to save Hermione, now GET OUT!”

Harry took a step back at the ferocity Susan leveled at him but he relented and stepped into the hall, tears of anger and sadness began stinging his eyes.

It was Malfoy... Her voice rang clearly in his head. It was Malfoy...

The scene played over and over in his head, he wasn’t dreaming, she needed him and somehow had brought him along to witness what was happening. He was actually there and remembered the words that his school rival shouted at his wife.

“A new dark lord...” Harry said as he suddenly understood what was said. “They went after Hermione...” His voice cracked as a sudden panic overcame him. Without another word he ran as fast as he could to the Floo Network. Shouting, “The Burrow,” Harry found himself spinning seemingly out of control through the magical transportation system and quickly reached his destination.

He slid into the kitchen of the Weasleys’ home and looked around him in pure horror. The house was on fire, Molly laying motionless on the floor, still breathing, he sighed as he dragged her out to the garden.

Harry looked around desperately, nobody was in sight, and with a sinking feeling he ran into the flaming house. “LILY!” He shouted anxiously as he ran around the first floor, dodging the flames that were greedily engulfing the walls and furniture.

“DADDY!” Her muffled cry came from upstairs somewhere.

Harry ripped up the stairs as quickly as he could, burning his hand on the banister when he stumbled in his tremendous rush to get to his daughter. “WHERE ARE YOU?!” He yelled frantically, knocking doors of their hinges with the immortal strength of a parent desperately trying to protect his children.

“DAAAADYYYY!” Her desperate cry came from the attic.

No preamble was necessary, Harry concentrated and with a silent disapparation, apparated just as silently at the top of the flaming stairs. Lily was crouched over Percy in the corner, trying to protect her friend and cousin. The ghoul was bleeding profusely as it fended off spell after spell of someone in black robes. The smoke was billowing up the stairs like an erupting volcano and Harry’s anger seemed to make it all the hotter in the uneven room at the top of the crumbling house.

“Get. Away. From. My. Daughter,” Harry said so coldly that everything seemed to freeze in time. With a blinding speed, Harry’s hands grabbed the dark wizard and the unsuspecting fool found himself sailing through the air like a feather caught in a hurricane. He rounded on the slumped form in the corner and with a raised hand summoned the intruder’s wand and immediately incinerated it.

The wizard in dark robes shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind but wasn’t fast enough to recover when Harry took him by the throat and lifted the flailing man off the floor. He cowered under the vengeful gaze of Harry Potter, the anger burning through his skull as it entered through his terrified eyes, his predicament suddenly fully revealed to him.

“stupefy,” Harry whispered and the man went limp in his grasp.

“DADDY!” Lily screamed from the other side of the room. “PERCY! PERCY!” She cried uncontrollably.

Harry threw the man over his shoulder and raced to the prone form of Percy Weasley, Ron and Luna’s only son. He was unconscious, but alive, a nasty bump on the back of his head where he’d taken a stunner point blank. Harry gathered the two children with his remaining arm and apparated to the garden where Molly was still lying, unconscious.

Seconds later, Aurors apparated on the scene, taking the unconscious Theodore Nott into custody. Harry, with the help of Tonks and Remus, apparated with Molly and the children to St. Mungo’s where the two unconscious Weasleys were immediately taken for treatment.

Harry held a crying Lily desperately as he slumped in a waiting room chair when an owl swooped towards him bearing an official looking envelope. He opened it with shaking hands and tears fell down his cheeks as he examined the handwriting.

My Dearest Love,

If you’ve received this letter, then... I know you’re hurting, my love, but I’ve died or am very nearly close to it. I’d hoped that we could have lived a long, happy life together, watching our children grow and growing old together. It seems that was stolen from us and I’m sorry I can’t be there for Lilian and you.

I want you to know that I love you more than life itself and whatever took me from you must have been tragic. Keep our daughter safe and be careful. I wish there was more that I could write but I can’t seem to put what’s in my heart into words, so all I can say is I love you with all my heart. Please take care of yourself and Lilian and know that I’ll be watching over the two most important people in my life...

With all the love in the world, I'll be watching

A sob hitched in Harry’s throat as the letter fell into his lap, clutching his daughter to him desperately.

“Harry?” Susan asked quietly as she stepped up to the grieving man.

“H-How long does she have?” Harry asked as his voice cracked, not wanting to hear the devastating news.

“She’s asking for you...” Susan said quietly. “It was a tough fight...” Harry covered his face with his free hand and nodded. “But she’s going to pull through just fine!”

A/N: I was so intrigued by Terrors and Twins that I decided I wanted to expand it into a full story so you're looking at the sequel to my sequel from sequel week! :) No more waiting and you'll get nothing but this all week long! Heh Hope you like it!

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 13)
Challenge: Harry/Hermione deal with the media discussing their relationship
Title: The Walls Come Crumbling Down
Word Count: 1,018

“She’s going to be OK?!” Harry’s eyes flew open at the news Susan had just given him and he stood bolt, upright with Lily clutching at his neck to keep from falling. He had the letter he’d just received clutched in his free hand subconsciously.

“It was a tough fight like I said,” Susan replied with a smile, “but she was able to get here before losing too much blood.”

“The babies...” Harry said tenuously, “they’re premature...”

“They’re both fine,” Susan assured him as she guided the relieved man down the corridor to his wife’s room. “They were premature, yes, but everything is fine. They are currently undergoing some testing to make sure their blood levels are at safe levels, but are otherwise perfectly healthy for being born a month early.”

Harry turned into the room that Hermione was in and tears fell down his cheeks at the sight of his wife lying in the bed. She looked to him with tired eyes and smiled feebly at her husband and oldest daughter.

“Mummy!” Lily squealed as Harry let her down. The little girl raced to her mother’s side and wrapped her arms around her, crying happily that she was alright.

“My little angel,” Hermione whispered tiredly and smiled widely when Harry kissed her full on the lips. “Hi,” she whispered when Harry pulled away. He left a hand on her arm and refused to let her go.

“Hi,” Harry smiled back, tears streaking down his cheeks. “How are you feeling, Love?”

“Better,” she admitted softly as her eyes went dark, “Harry, it...”

“Shh, I know,” Harry said quietly, motioning towards Lily. “It’s going to be difficult to prove but we have someone in custody...”

“A mean man in black robes hurt Gramma Molly, Mummy,” Lily whimpered from her mother’s chest. “He hit Percy on the head when he tried to help me run from the mean man but the Ghoul in the attic saved us then Daddy came after the fire started!”

“What?” Hermione asked weakly, bewildered at the news.

“The Burrow is gone, Love,” Harry said sadly. “Molly and Percy are here for treatment both of them were unconscious...” Harry wiped at a fresh batch of tears that bubbled to his eyes angrily. “Theodore Nott, of all people...”

Hermione’s eyes fluttered closed as her brows knit in thought. She struggled to open them again but Harry gently caressed her cheek and whispered, “Sleep, Love, we’ll be here when you wake up...” She nodded almost imperceptibly and Harry disentangled their daughter from his wife. “Let her sleep, Sweets,” he whispered as Lily transferred her hug to Harry.

“Is Mummy gonna be alright?” She asked with a quiver to her voice.

“She will be,” Harry said quietly. “Mummy needs to sleep so let’s go say hi to the new members of our family...”

Within moments, Harry was standing at a large, plate-glass window that overlooked several cribs, each decorated in pink or blue. He pointed to two cribs, one of each color, and smiled. “There’s your new brother and sister, Sweets,” he whispered with a wide smile at her bright face.

“I have a little brother and a little sister?” Lily asked as she started jumping up and down with excitement.

“It looks like you do,” Harry said with a wide smile growing on his face. “Why don’t we go see how Gramma Molly and Percy are doing?”

Lily nodded, waving goodbye to her little brother and sister before taking her father’s hand. They got the room numbers they needed and were soon smiling at a groggy Percy.

“Wha happened?” He asked with a slur. Lily hugged him carefully around the neck, being sure to avoid the white bandages wrapped around his head. “Lily, geroff!”

“Thank you for helping Lily, Percy,” Harry said with a smile, placing his large hand on Percy’s shoulder. “If you hadn’t gotten her away from that man...”

“I wasn’t gonna let him hurt Lily,” Percy said with a blush then looked concernedly at Harry. “How’s Gramma?”

“We were just about to go see her,” Harry said with a smile. “Get some rest and we’ll stop by with news, ok?”

Percy nodded, feeling more tired than he let on and Harry walked out the door with his daughter in tow. A few moments later, Lily was clinging to her Grandmother’s neck crying in relief.

“Harry, how’s Percy?” She asked concernedly, wrapping Lily in a bone-crushing hug.

“He’s fine,” Harry said with a smile, receiving his own hug from the woman. “Was there just the one?”

Molly shook her head. “There were three, I got two of them but the other snuck up behind me...”

“The Burrow is gone, Mum,” Harry said softly, still caught in her hug. “It burned to the ground... The last one is with Moody.”

The tears came swiftly to Molly’s eyes at the news and she nodded silently. The three of them held each other for some time before a knock came at the door.

“Harry, a word please?” Remus requested with concern laced in his voice. Harry looked to him with curiosity and followed his friend into the hall.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asked after they shut the door to his adopted mother’s room.

“I came as soon as I found out,” Lupin said gravely. “You’re a wanted man, Harry,” he announced as the color drained from Harry Potter’s face.

“What?” Harry asked taken aback. Remus handed him an advanced issue of the Daily Prophet. “This hasn’t hit the shelves yet...”

“We got a tip from one of our plants and they got the paper to us as quickly as they could. This is going to hit the newsstands tomorrow morning...”

Harry unrolled the paper and felt his legs give out as soon as he read the headline.

Apparently, Harry Potter, the man who saved us from You-Know-Who has turned a new leaf, not content with the destruction of the former Dark Lord. Witnesses have spotted Mr. Potter at a crime scene tampering with evidence connected with the attempted murder of his wife of seven years, Hermione Granger.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 14)
Challenge: Harry/Hermione is confronted by a former crush
Title: The Letter From Beyond the Grave
Word Count: 1,000

“I saw it with my own two eyes!” An unnamed witness exclaimed, still surprised at what he’d seen. “Just minutes after Mrs. Potter broke into the warehouse, he was taking shards of bloody glass from the floor and then Flooed out of the office.”

Another witness places him near Ottery St. Catchpole just minutes later, the home of a prominent wizarding family burning to ashes shortly after he entered the building.

“I’m not sure what’s happened to him,” an anonymous source at the Ministry of Magic said when asked questions concerning the sudden turn in Mr. Potter’s demeanor. “We’ve been receiving reports of people sighting him all over England, though the majority of them are false. He’s always been an asset to the Auror Division but he’s seemed distant since his friends Ron and Luna Weasley died...”

Another prominent family with ties to the recently infamous Boy-Who-Lived just suffered a heart-stopping blow when the Chang family lost their daughter Cho, who had self-admitted herself to a wizarding mental institution due to emotional problems stemming from her ill-fated courtship with Mr. Potter, to an unknown assailant as she left the facility. A letter she had written before she was accepted in the recovery program at an unnamed St. Mungo’s branch was tracked to the main facility where Mr. Harry Potter was the recipient.

Mystery and intrigue has always surrounded the Savior-Of-The-Wizarding-World as well as a heaping dose of misery and dismay. It is this reporter’s opinion that this dangerous psychopath be apprehended for the safety of both wizarding and muggle worlds.

Rita Skeeter, Staff Journalist.

“What in the bloody hell?” Harry asked incredulously as he watched the moving photograph on the front page of the paper. He appeared, ran into the Burrow and seconds later, flames shot from the kitchen window. The scene repeated itself over and over. Another photo depicted him crying over the letter that he thought was from his wife.

“That’s what the Order is trying to find out,” Remus said quietly. “By this time tomorrow, you’ll probably be taken into custody.”

“You’re kidding me?!” Harry said incensed. “I’m not some psychopath! Hermione said it was Malfoy that came after her...”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Harry,” Remus said with a sigh, “I thought you should know what was happening so you could prepare for it.”

Harry ran his fingers through his hair angrily and sighed in frustration. “I wonder if this has anything to do with Ron’s death...” Harry hissed to himself, his eyes going wide and shifting around the corridor as he mentally flicked through the pages of text he’d received.

“That was an accident, Harry...” Lupin said concernedly.

Harry looked up, an incredulous sneer on his face but he relaxed almost instantly. “Y-you’re right,” he stammered as he thought frantically. “I need to let Hermione and Mum know what’s going on and we need to get them all in the same room... Have you been able to get anything out of Nott?”

“Even under Veritaserum he kept jabbering about the new Dark Lord...” Remus shook his head in confusion. “Whatever they did to him, he can’t even answer simple questions...”

“HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO MY BABY?!” A voice screeched from down the hallway. Harry and Remus turned as one and saw an enraged Mrs. Chang barreling at them with fury in her eyes. “ALL SHE DID WAS LOVE YOU!” She shrieked as she pulled a wand from her purse.

“Get down!” Remus shouted and pushed Harry to the floor. A red bolt of light screamed from the tip of her wand and exploded against the corridor wall. “Drop the wand, Mrs. Chang,” Remus said cautiously. “Harry didn’t do anything to your daughter...”

“He steals her baby and then marries that MUDBLOOD?! YOU CALL THAT NOTHING?!” The woman bellowed, bringing her wand down in a graceful arc, blue light shining at the tip. “HE’S GOING TO PAY!”

“EXPELLIARMUS!” Kingsley Shacklebolt yelled and Harry watched the woman’s wand fly through the air to the hand of his boss. “Mrs. Chang!” He growled as politely as he could. “There will be no vigilantism over these false accusations!”

“HE KILLED MY SWEET DAUGHTER!” She yelled in protest. “HE’S GOT HER LETTER! I KNOW IT WAS HIM!”

“Remus, get Harry out of here,” Kingsley whispered quickly as he continued past them on a direct path for the irate mother. “Mr. Potter has been in the Hospital since he brought his family in for treatment, he couldn’t have been the one who attacked your daughter.”

“But it’s got to be him...” The woman wailed. “My baby...” She broke down in sobs as Remus pulled Harry down the corridor and out of site.

“It looks like things are getting out of hand faster than we anticipated,” Remus whispered as they turned the next corner. “That letter, what did it say?”

Harry handed him the letter in question and shook his head. “I thought it was from Hermione,” Harry admitted, “Talking about Lilian... Lilian?” He looked over the letter once again and cursed under his breath. “That’s not even Hermione’s handwriting!”

“This could very well be that letter from Cho,” Remus said with a sigh.

“It is,” Harry growled angrily, “I recognize the handwriting.” He clenched his fists as he attempted to calm himself down. “I’ve received several letters from her,” Harry explained, “telling me how I made a mistake by marrying Hermione and how Lily was really Cho’s daughter and not Hermione’s...”

“Sounds like she was completely out of it,” Remus said with wide eyes.

“That’s pretty much the gist of it,” Harry growled. “She didn’t admit herself to that blasted mental facility... It was Ministry mandated when I filed for a restraining order on her, they deemed her insane and requiring help. You remember those fights that Hermione and I had...”

“We should be able to get those records easily then,” Lupin said with a nod. “It looks like she really bought into this fantasy of hers...”

A/N: Ok, so Cho is dead but her letter and her mother represent the crush coming back to Haunt Harry... Not really what the challenge prescribed, but my interpretation based on the plot I've got going... Hope you enjoy the chapter ;)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 15)
Challenge: Harry/Hermione travel somewhere together
Title: The Family Nobody Knew
Word Count: 1,054

“There are a few options open to you, Harry,” Moody said gruffly in the security of the room his family had been moved to. “We can put you in a low security cell in Azkaban...”

“Harry won’t be going to Azkaban, Moody!” Hermione growled from her bed. Both of the babies began to cry at her tone of voice and she shushed them gently in an attempt to quiet the twins.

“That would ruin his career, you know that!” Molly said from a chair she’d moved into. Percy was sound asleep in her lap and she was gently stroking the young boy’s hair.

“There are more options than that,” Remus said reassuringly, “Azkaban isn’t as dangerous for wizards as it used to be.”

“What are the other options?” Harry asked quietly. He was carrying a sleeping Lily in his arms as he slowly paced the room. “I can’t leave Hermione and the children alone, not after what’s happened.”

“Will a pensieve showing be enough to keep this from falling on Harry’s shoulders?” Hermione asked excitedly. “I’ll submit to one if it’ll help...”

“Not this time, the Ministry would still find your testimony biased due to your closeness,” Kingsley said in his baritone voice. He shook his head, deep in thought. “We could place them in the wizard protection program...”

“That won’t help anybody,” Harry said with a snort. “Secret keeping not withstanding...”

“That was an isolated incident with your parents, Harry,” Remus said sadly as he took a seat. “But I understand your worries...”

“What about the rest of my family?” Molly asked quietly. “I can’t lose anyone else...” Tears began to well in her eyes at the thought and she looked sadly down at Percy.

“We’ve taken the precaution of notifying the others,” Moody said with as soft a smile as his deformed face could produce. “Bill and Charlie are on the lookout and every member has an emergency portkey that will take them to safety.”

Harry laid the sleeping Lily on one of the beds and relieved Hermione of his new son. Smiling gently at the small bundle and kissing his forehead. He looked longingly at his wife, making eye contact and with an unseen message passed, she nodded.

“I’m tired of chasing dark wizards day in and day out,” Harry said with a sigh. “Hermione and I have talked about this since Ron... Well, since that night and I think I need to protect my family more than anything right now.”

“You’re resigning?” Kingsley asked, taken aback. Harry nodded and pulled a small bag from his pocket.

“Here’re my things, you’ll see everything accounted for is there.” He said, straightening as he handed the parcel to his former boss.

“But the cases you’re working on... The attack on your wife?” The tall man said incredulously.

“Ernie can handle the cases and as for what Malfoy did to Hermione, I’ll be with her now instead of spending months away from home.” He looked to Hermione then to Lily with a sad look in his eyes. “I’ve been away for too long, Kingsley, my place is with my family now, not in the Sudan or in South America tracking down ghosts.”

There was a stunned silence where only the twins’ yawns could be heard. Harry traded babies with his wife after the one he’d been carrying fell asleep and he kissed Hermione as he stood.

“Well, we’re going to have to find a place for you to lie low until this debacle blows over,” Moody said solemnly. “We’re going to have our hands full after the Prophet hits the newsstands tomorrow.”

Harry continued his pacing, lips pursed deep in thought, and looked to each member of his family. “Remus, we can use pensieve testimony as sufficient grounds to capture and interrogate suspected Death Eaters, can we not?”

“The law was almost repealed the other day but it’s still in the books,” Remus said with a grin as the idea began to take root in his mind.

“We’ve had to go with voice matching because of the masks in previous cases, that’s how we caught the Lestrange family,” Moody said with a chuckle, rubbing subconsciously at a scar on his face. “That was a tough fight.”

“There’s a problem with this plan,” Kingsley said with a grumble, “The witnesses usually ended up dead within a matter of days...”

“Part of my research was on the Fidelius charm,” Hermione said quietly, cottoning onto the plan that Harry had nudged into fruition. “I haven’t shared my findings, nor have I written them down yet...”

“What is it?” Remus asked with interest.

“There wouldn’t be a need for a secret keeper,” Hermione said quietly, “and it acts as if everybody else had a strong memory charm placed on them, forgetting that the secreted person or item actually existed...”

“Will it work on groups, if they’re all together?” Harry asked excitedly.

“What would happen to a pensieve testimony if nobody thought the person existed?” Molly asked curiously.

“Pensieve records cannot be fabricated,” Dumbledore said from the doorway. “The Wizengamot would have to take it as the truth, regardless if the person exists or not.”

“Do you have the portkey, Albus?” Hermione asked from her bed, shifting, with Harry’s help, into a sitting position.

“Everything is in order,” The old wizard said with a sad smile. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“You can’t leave us,” Molly said tearfully as she set Percy on the bed next to Lily. She rushed over to Harry and pulled him into a hug.

“I’m sorry, Mum, Percy has to come with us, he’s in danger too,” Harry said as he hugged his adopted mother tightly.

Harry handed the baby to Hermione and gently woke the two children. “It’s time for us to go,” he said quietly. “Go on and say goodbye to everyone. The children did as they were told and the small family grasped the old bicycle tire that was offered them.

“You’ll have the testimonies tomorrow,” Harry said grimly. He took one last look around the room and was suddenly pulled forward in a roar of colors and a whirl of wind. They arrived in a dark corridor where the lights flickered on at their arrival.

“Welcome to Gryffindor Castle,” Harry said after everyone had regained their bearings.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 16)
Challenge: Story Week Finale
Topic #1: Harry/Hermione learns something new about the other.
Topic #2: Harry/Hermione asks the other for a huge favor.
Topic #3: Harry/Hermione visits the other at work/on duty/at practice.
Title: Fight or Flight
Word Count: 4,304

“Gryffindor Castle?” Hermione asked with wide eyes. “But I thought only those...”

“Who were direct descendants could enter the grounds without invitation,” Harry finished the thoughts of his shocked wife as he conjured a wheelchair for her to sit in. He gently helped her into the mobile seat.

“Who gave you permission? Albus?” Hermione asked with a wince as her sore body rested in its new place. She tenderly adjusted both of her newborn children, cooing quietly to keep them relaxed.

“Nobody, Love,” Harry said with a grim look. “This is only my second time visiting the place; the first was on my twenty-first birthday.”

Hermione immediately stopped what she was doing and turned a surprised gaze upon her husband. “Wait, that afternoon you were called back to the Ministry?”

“I was accepting my inheritance,” Harry said softly as he pushed the chair gently down the corridor. “The castle is modest and we’ll have to confine ourselves to just a few rooms on the ground floor until you can walk again.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were Godric Gryffindor’s heir?” Hermione asked softly as Harry turned them into the Great Hall, a fire already burning in the massive fireplace.

The room was decorated like a large, common room with beds along one wall. Gryffindor tower decorations lined the room and a dining room table just the right size for the small family wasn’t far away from the sofas.

“He didn’t know until the wizarding contract was met,” a strong voice said from above them. Lily immediately grabbed onto Harry’s leg, and Percy took hold of his arm. Hermione started, waking the twins and the babies began to cry loudly.

“Daddy, who’s that?” Lily asked in the high-pitched voice of a scared little girl.

“That’s Godric Gryffindor, Sweets,” Harry said quietly as he relieved Hermione of his newest daughter. “He won’t hurt you.”

“Hello, I’m terribly sorry if I frightened you,” Godric said in a very soothing voice. “You must be Lily,” he said with a smile as he floated towards the floor in a crossed-leg sitting position. “Your father has told me quite a bit about you.”

Still shy, but no longer frightened, Lily hid behind her father and squeaked, “Hello,” before burying her face in his leg. Percy, however, was staring at the ghost of the Hogwarts founder in awe.

“And who might this young man be?” The ghost said with a smile. “I see red hair and freckles, could he be a Weasley?”

“P-Percy,” the young boy stammered as he gawked at the floating apparition.

“Pleased to meet you, Percy,” Godric said with a laugh. “It is very good to finally meet you, Hermione.”

Hermione smiled slightly, rocking her son in her arms, sighing as the newborn drifted back to sleep. “You were saying about the wizarding contract?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Ah, yes, the contract,” Gryffindor said with a soundless slap to his transparent knee. “When I had this place built for my own personal getaway, Rowena drew up a magical document, ensuring that my personal lands would be passed down to my eldest son. Given that I did not have a son my lands would be passed to the next viable male heir.

“As luck would have it, Arthur was born, I’m sure you’ve all heard of his exploits, and it passed to his son as well. Harry is the current, oldest living descendent of mine, the babe in your arms, the next in line. Upon Harry’s twenty-first birthday, he was awarded my lands and holdings, along with the family treasury.”

“Treasury?” Percy asked with keen interest.

“Yes, treasury,” Godric said with a smile. “Harry’s father chose to live in the cottage that Rowena and I retired to when we had retired from teaching at Hogwarts. I am surprised, to say the least, that you are now here instead of Godric’s Hollow.”

“We needed a safe house,” Harry explained as he laid his infant daughter in one of two cribs that had just appeared. “Lily, Percy, time for bed.”

“Do we have to, Uncle Harry?” Percy whined, his eyes still glued on the ethereal form of Godric Gryffindor.

“Don’t give your uncle any lip, young man,” Hermione said sternly as she handed their new son to her husband. “I’m going to bed as well, off you go.”

Harry helped Hermione into one of the four-poster beds along the far wall, followed quickly by Lily and Percy in the same bed. “You can talk to Godric later, Perce,” Harry said with a smile, “but for now you need your sleep so your head will heal.”

“Night, Daddy,” Lily said softly as she hugged Harry tightly and gave him a kiss.

“Night, Sweets, sleep well,” he replied as he tucked her in, followed by Percy. “Goodnight, Love.”

“We’re going to do some serious talking tomorrow,” Hermione said quietly.

“I know we will, but rest for now,” Harry cooed in her ear as they hugged. “The babies are going to be a handful, but you knew that...”

Hermione rolled her eyes before letting out a tired yawn. “Most are, Harry,” she deadpanned as a grin crept onto her face.

Harry smiled as her eyes fluttered closed, then kissed his wife goodnight before sitting in a chair by the fireplace. Godric sat across from him, his face unreadable in the twinkling light from the fire.

“I think everything is tied together,” Harry said as his thoughts began to merge into one stream of events. “Hermione said that Draco crowed about a new dark lord... It seems Voldemort’s cache of dark artifacts has been found...”

“That doesn’t bode well, what are you going to do to stop them?” Godric asked seriously.

Harry looked at the bed where his family lay sleeping then to the twin cribs that held the newest members of that family. “I need to protect those I love...” Harry said quietly, slipping deeper in thought.

“Love, wake up...” Hermione said softly as she shook Harry’s shoulder.

“Hmm? What time is it?” Harry asked groggily from the chair he had fallen asleep in. He looked into his wife’s face with a look of concern. “Are you alright? The babies?”

“They’re fine, Love,” Hermione said with a tender kiss to his forehead, “and so am I. It’s morning and you fell asleep in your chair...”

“Are Lily and Percy awake?” He asked, glancing at the bed then returning his gaze to her deep, brown eyes.

“They’re still sleeping,” she said with a soft smile.

Harry shook the sleep from his system and maneuvered his wife into his lap as gently as he could. “I guess you need to talk...”

“There’s a lot we have to talk about,” Hermione said with a shrug. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Gryffindor’s heir?”

Harry nodded. “I should have told you sooner, but to be honest, with everything that’s been going on it slipped my mind.”

“Something this big slipped your mind?” Hermione asked incredulously.

“With the Death Eater uprisings, you know how much work I’ve been doing for the past few years, Love,” Harry explained softly. “Then when Ron and Luna died...” He stopped talking in an attempt to keep from going down his previous train of thought and sighed deeply. “There really isn’t any excuse, I forgot about it with everything going on...”

“It’s alright, Harry,” she said softly in his ear, “I miss them too. So, you’re the heir of our house which explains quite a bit more about you than I would have guessed,” she whispered thoughtfully.

“Someone’s found Voldemort’s cache, Hermione,” Harry said in an eerily distant voice.

She looked to him in surprise. “Don’t talk that way, Harry,” she scolded softly, “it reminds me of when you were preparing to fight him!”

His sad eyes lifted to hers, causing tears to erupt from her eyes uncontrollably. “What if I’m destined to fight this one too? Or the next or the one after that?” Harry whispered hoarsely.

“Don’t talk such nonsense, Harry James Potter!” She said tenderly. “You’ve done your part and your place is here!” Hermione hugged her husband tightly. Her heart was racing so fast that Harry could feel it through her thick, wool jumper.

“I’m sorry,” He whispered hoarsely, “but that’s all I’ve known how to do, stop dark wizards, stop dark lords...”

“You can do other things, Love,” Hermione said quietly. “There is much more to the wizarding world than being an Auror. I’m happy that you gave that up to be with us, but...”

“But?” He asked, pushing her back slightly so he could see her.

“You seemed to enjoy it...” She whispered.

“Love, I was trying to keep my family and friends safe,” Harry said reassuringly, “and look where it’s gotten me? I almost lose everyone I care for and I’ve already... We’ve...”

“Shh,” she said quietly, hugging him again as her tears welled again. “I miss them too, Harry...”

The two sat in silence for an indeterminable amount of time before their new son began crying, followed almost immediately by their daughter. Harry smiled and set his wife on the sofa while he retrieved his hungry children.

“Shh, Ron, Mummy’s here,” Harry said absently as he handed the little boy to Hermione. She looked to him curiously then to her newborn and smiled gently. “I thought we were going to settle for Arthur,” she said quietly.

“We were, why?” Harry asked as he picked up his daughter.

“You just called him Ron,” Hermione said with a loving smile. “Ronald Arthur Potter?”

Harry smiled sheepishly as he stroked his daughter’s cheek. “I think he’d like that, they’d both like that...” He said as he sat on the sofa next to his wife, watching her feed their baby. He looked to her dazzling smile and a feeling of contentment spread through him when he realized he’d be with his family from now on. His days of trudging through the moors, fighting off mosquitoes in South America, or being uncomfortable in any number of places were finally over.

They traded bundles and Hermione smiled softly at her new daughter. “Diana Molly,” she whispered softly.

Harry glanced at his wife and smiled lovingly at the look in her eyes. “Looks like we’ve solved one problem,” he said with a sigh. “Now we need to put your modified Fidelius charm to work...”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” She asked hesitantly. “I’ve researched the charm, but not the counter... I’d just made the breakthrough last week.”

“I don’t want to hide from Malfoy,” Harry spat as he rocked his son back to sleep, “but this is the only way to keep you safe.”

“Us, Harry,” Hermione corrected immediately, “it’s to keep us safe...”

Harry sighed and looked to the baby in his arms. “I don’t want to go through that again,” he said sadly. “I thought I’d lost you, I almost lost Lily, Percy and Mum...”

“Harry,” Hermione said pleadingly, “I know it was difficult, but you can’t be the only one who rushes out to save everyone each day... Look at me, Love...”

He reluctantly turned his misty eyes to the woman he loved and couldn’t live without.

“Harry, promise me you won’t give in to your saving people thing...”

“What?”

“Promise me that you won’t rush off to confront Malfoy, Harry!” She said more forcefully with a desperate look in her eyes.

“After what he did to you? After what he almost did to Lily?!” Harry asked half-angrily, half-incredulously. “You expect me to just sit back and let him destroy everyone I love?”

Tears were welling in Hermione’s eyes and she flinched at each point he’d made, but she nodded, never taking her eyes off of his. “Things are different this time, I don’t know how to put it, but if you go after him... I don’t want you to throw your life away!” She said in the same pleading voice she’d been in the past few minutes. “He’s not as careless as Voldemort was and you might not come back! Promise me... Please, Love, I don’t want to lose you either!”

Harry gulped and looked to the bed where the two oldest children were still sleeping. A pang of hurt rang in his heart that his wife wouldn’t let him go after the one who almost took them away from him. He closed his eyes and nodded. “I promise,” he whispered.

“Look me in the eyes and tell me again,” she said gently, tenderly cupping his chin and swiveling his face so his gaze would fall upon hers.

A tear slipped from his eye as he gazed into her chocolaty brown eyes. “I promise I won’t go after Malfoy...” He whispered again. “Or his followers...”

Hermione gently pressed her lips to his in an attempt to seal his promise. “I know that was hard for you to do,” she said in a barely audible voice, “but I couldn’t bear losing you...”

“You won’t lose me, Love,” Harry said quietly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He smiled at his daughter who was still suckling her mother’s milk. “She’s got an appetite on her...”

Hermione let out a soft laugh. “As does your son,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes. “I hope Percy will be fine with the baby’s name.”

“I’m sure he will,” Harry said as he set Ron in his crib. He smiled at the helpless yawn his son let out before falling back to sleep and he walked purposely to a set of cabinets that lined the far wall.

Harry returned a few moments later with an arm full of pensieves and then a moment later with an equal number of stools. “We’ll each have to submit a record of what we saw and where we were,” he explained as he began to place long, silvery threads from his temple to one of the pensieves with his wand. “It won’t be safe to use the Fidelius modification, but we should be fine here.”

Diana had finished feeding and Harry relieved Hermione of the pink, bundled baby before she began filling her pensieve as well. “I’ll help Lily when she wakes,” Hermione said quietly as strand after strand of memory was placed in the magical bowl.

“She and Percy will need help from a Legilimens,” Harry explained as he leaned back into the soft sofa. “You get your rest and I’ll help them both with their testimonies.”

Hermione nodded sleepily and Harry helped her to the bed where Lily had just woken up and was about to wake Percy as well.

“Sweets, let him sleep,” Harry said quietly, taking his daughter in his arms after Hermione was back in bed. “I need your help, ok?”

Lily yawned and hugged Harry around the neck. “Ok, Daddy.”

“We need to put your memories in this bowl, it’s called a pensieve,” Harry explained patiently.

“I know, Daddy,” Lily said with a smile. “I read one of Mummy’s books, but how can I put my memories in there? I don’t have a wand.”

Harry smiled proudly at Lily, shaking his head in surprise. “I knew you were as smart as Mummy,” he said with a slight laugh. “You can use her wand but I’m going to help you bring your memories out, ok?”

Lily nodded her head and accepted the wand from her father. He showed her how to pull the memories from her mind and explained how he was going to help her. She looked surprised at first but then a growing look of realization spread across her face. “Is that how you and Mummy know what I’m doing, Daddy?” She asked with wide eyes.

“No, Sweets,” Harry said with a laugh, “we don’t look into your mind.”

Lily nodded sagely and then looked into Harry’s eyes. “I’m ready, Daddy,” Lily announced as if she were merely getting ready for bed.

Harry smiled at her and began sifting through her thoughts. “Just use the wand like I showed you when a memory comes to the surface,” he coached softly as he gently probed through her mind. He saw images of them rolling in the grass at the park; the ghoul in the Burrow’s attic jumping on a man with dark robes; Molly being knocked unconscious with a stunning spell; Percy being thrown against the wall when he tried to stop the Death Eater from taking Lily; the fire starting in the kitchen; Harry saving her and Percy; He felt her struggle a little and eased out of their Legilimency trance, her face was pale and she was sweating profusely. “How do you feel, Lily?” He asked tenderly, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

“I feel ok, Daddy,” she said in a shaky voice, “I don’t see the bad man anymore...”

“You were brilliant, Sweets,” Harry said gently as he pulled her into his lap for a hug. “Those memories are in the pensieve now,” he explained softly.

“That’s right!” She said excitedly. “I read that in Mummy’s book!”

Harry laughed gently and rubbed her back. “Are you ready to go back to sleep? I saw that you kept waking up last night...”

Lily nodded sleepily. “He won’t come back in my dreams now, will he?”

“I hope he doesn’t,” Harry said tenderly as he set her back in the bed. “I’m right here if you get scared, Sweets.” He kissed her forehead as she fell asleep, snuggling into Hermione’s side with a yawn. “Come on, Percy, it’s your turn.”

The young Weasley didn’t move, he just lay there with his eyes closed.

“I know you’re awake, Perce,” Harry said with a slight laugh. “It won’t hurt.”

“How do you do that?” The boy said with a sigh without opening his eyes.

“Lily didn’t sleep and she sleeps far more soundly than you ever did,” Harry explained as he helped his young charge to the sofa. “You can use Hermione’s wand as well, I know you were watching while Lily and I set her memories in her pensieve...” Harry again demonstrated the proper use of the wand and explained how Legilimency would help him bring those thoughts to the front of his mind.

“Y-you’re going to go into my head?” Percy asked worriedly.

“It’s the only way we can make sure you remember everything,” Harry explained. “If it gets uncomfortable, I’ll know and stop, alright?”

Percy nodded, but beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead. “I-I’m ready...” He said nervously.

“Think hard about what happened and we’ll get those memories set, ok?” Harry looked into the boy’s eyes as he nodded and images began to fill Harry’s mind almost immediately.

Percy was hugging his new friend, Gator, after Ron and Luna gave it to him; a red flash of light flew at him and Percy was thrown against the attic wall; the ghoul in the attic accepted a handful of candy with a smile; Ron arguing with someone at the front door with his wand raised; Molly getting hit with a stunner in the kitchen; Percy eating forkfuls of pancakes; Luna healing bruises on Ron’s face in their bedroom; an ambulance speeding away from the house as Molly turned back towards the front door, a red light flashed in the ambulance windows and it swerved off the road to hit a telephone pole; Percy running to the burning vehicle screaming for Luna and Ron; A wicked smile on Blaise Zabini’s face as he dispelled the stunning charm on the ambulance driver then disapparating; Aurors appearing on the scene and declaring it an accident.

Harry’s eyes went wide as he broke contact with Percy’s mind. The boy was crying freely, desperately trying to pull more of the memories from his mind with the wand. “Percy, shh, it’s ok,” Harry said gently as he pulled his best friends’ son into a warm hug. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I couldn’t remember...” He said with a trembling voice. “I don’t want to remember...” Percy broke down in Harry’s arms. “H-he said he was going to k-kill everyone...”

“Who said that?” Harry asked, keeping the tsunami of anger from spilling from him.

“I don’t know is name...” Percy whimpered. “He said there were too many Aurors and he’d come back for me if his spell didn’t work...”

“Can we go in one more time?” Harry asked quietly. “I won’t let him hurt you, he can’t hurt you, Perce,” he said reassuringly. Percy nodded and looked into Harry’s eyes after wiping away the tears that were still on his cheeks.

Harry concentrated and standing in front of Percy, in full, vivid memory was Draco Malfoy. He was dressed in his official Ministry uniform.

“If this charm doesn’t work, you’ll not see another day alive, whelp!” Draco sneered as he discretely pulled out his wand. “Obliviate,” he whispered as he glanced around at the swarming law enforcement.

Malfoy straightened and stood bolt upright at the approach of Molly Weasley. “I’m sorry your parents were taken from you. If there’s anything the Ministry can do for you and your remaining family, please feel free to contact us.” He said to the grieving woman, who pulled Percy into a desperate hug.

Harry broke contact with his charge but didn’t look from his eyes. “Is that everything?” He asked quietly. Percy nodded his head sleepily. “Let’s get you back to sleep,” Harry said tenderly and carried the tired boy to the bed. “Everything will be fine, Perce, we’ll catch these people and put them away for good.” Percy smiled at the words and yawned again, his eyes fluttering closed and a content smile that hadn’t been there before spread across his face.

“Harry?” Hermione asked sleepily from the other side of the bed.

“Yes, Love?” Harry asked tenderly.

“How did it go with the children?” She asked as he helped her to the sofa.

“I have a lot of work to do, and you’ll see why once you look in Percy’s pensieve,” Harry explained grimly.

Hermione looked at him skeptically but entered the young boy’s memories. She emerged a few minutes later with a look of unabashed anger on her face. “Harry,” she said in a growl, a fiery anger in her eyes, “go get that bastard!”

Three days later Kingsley Shacklebolt, Moody, Tonks and Harry strode into the Ministry of Magic to gasps from those who saw the sight. Harry Potter was in chains, being led to the room where the Wizengamot was seated, awaiting the trial of the century.

Harry was forcefully shoved into a chair at the bottom of the amphitheatre and manacles magically replaced the chains he was in. He looked around at the gathered faces, Emmaline Vance, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Ernie MacMillan, and the rest of the governors were sitting at the front of a veritable sea of reporters and bystanders.

“Are the anti-apparation wards in place?” Minister of Magic Emmaline Vance asked with regal air.

“Yes, Madam Minister,” MacMillan said immediately, “as are the wards against all forms of magical transportation, communication, and the like.”

“Bring forth the eye-witness testimonies!” She said again. There was no hesitation as four pensieves were set on stools behind Harry. With a wave of his wand, Albus Dumbledore activated Percy’s pensieve, causing the memories to display above Harry’s head. The crowd saw everything the young boy witnessed in the attack on the Burrow before it was shut down and Lily’s played.

When Hermione’s pensieve was activated, Draco Malfoy shot out of his seat. “What is she trying to pull?!” He bellowed angrily.

“Governor Malfoy, please refrain from outbursts until after the testimonies have been viewed.” Minster Vance said evenly, causing the enraged and visibly shaken governor to sit back in his seat.

Albus continued to Harry’s testimony, then back to Percy’s. “I didn’t retrieve them all,” he explained curtly as the death of Ron and Luna played for everyone to see. Draco sat frozen in his seat as Aurors clamped their hands over his shoulders after the last scene played out to the gasps of surprise from everyone in attendance.

“Those were forged!” Draco shouted in terrified anger.

“Pensieve testimonies cannot be forged, even with brainwashing, Mr. Malfoy,” the Minister of Magic said coldly.

Draco’s sneer returned and a dark, twisted look contorted his features as he withdrew a concealed wand from his robes. With blinding speed, he raised it and pointed it at The-Boy-Who-Lived. “AVADA...”

“STUPEFY!” A voice rang out from behind Harry, catching Draco full in the chest with a red flash of light. Harry had been in mid spell as well, having pulled free from the illusionary manacles and turned in surprise at his savior.

Hermione was standing in the doorway supported by a gangly, redheaded blast from his past.

“R-Ron?” He said shakily as he fell to his knees.

“Hey, mate, sorry for faking my death... I guess Scabbers taught me something after all,” Ron Weasley said with a slight laugh. “Your wife seemed to react the same way as you did...”

“I wasn’t going to let you face the bastard alone, Love,” she said as tears of happiness fell down her cheeks, “so I thought I’d visit you at work.”

Harry was back on his feet and within seconds, wrapping his arms around his two best friends. “If you ever do that to us again and I’ll curse you back to the stone age!” Harry said with a laugh, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“If you could let me get to my husband, I’d greatly appreciate it,” a familiar sing-song, dreamy voice said from behind the reunited trio. Harry didn’t waste anymore time and pulled Luna into the group hug, the blonde Weasley crying along with the rest of them and introducing their daughter Katherine to the Potters.

A/N: Ok, a truly happy ending, quite the surprise, eh? :) I hope you enjoyed this and, yes, I went WAY over the 4,000 word mark, but that’s just tough! :) heh heh heh...

Here are the challenges that made up this story.

June 29, 2004: Through Good Times and Bad
July 6, 2004: Terrors and Twins
July 12, 2004: The Tip of the Iceberg
July 13, 2004: The Walls Come Crumbling Down
July 14, 2004: The Letter From Beyond the Grave
July 15, 2004: The Family Nobody Knew
July 16, 2004: Fight or Flight

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 19)
Challenge: [Musical Week] Action/Mystery/Suspense/Horror Scene
Title: Phantoms of War: Act I, Scene I
Word Count: 1,000

“Sold! Your number, sir? Thank you,” The auctioneer said with a grateful, yet fake, smile. “Lot six-six-five, ladies and gentlemen: A vintage Firebolt racing broom ridden by none other than Harry Potter himself. This item was found in the trophy room of the school and is still in perfect flying order.”

“Showing here,” a nameless porter said as he wheeled the relic of a bygone age to the makeshift stage in the castle’s Great Hall.

“May I start at two hundred Galleons? One hundred-fifty then?” The auctioneer asked as he looked to the audience, gauging their interest. “One hundred-fifty I am bid.” There was a flurry of interested bidders at this point and a final bid was reached. “Sold, for three hundred Galleons to the lovely lady with brown hair, Thank you, Madam.”

“A collector’s piece indeed...” Hermione said quietly to herself as she accepted the Firebolt and turned in her money. “Every detail exactly as I remember...” She whispered. “I thought you’d still be playing when everyone else was dead...”

“Lot six-six-six, then: A chandelier in pieces. Most of you will recall the turn in the war where He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named almost defeated The-Boy-Who-Lived...” The auctioneer said in an attempt to increase the interest in the new item. “We are told that this is the very chandelier which figures in with the famous turn in the war. Our workshops have restored it and fitted it with the new Ever-Burning Candles so that we may get a hint of what it may have looked like when it was re-assembled.” He looked eagerly to the crowd, noticing many of the collectors were wringing their paddles with their hands. “Perhaps we may frighten away the remaining ghosts in the castle with a little illumination, gentlemen?”

At the wave of his wand, the chandelier rose to the middle of the room, right to the ceiling. Hermione’s eyes went wide as memories started flooding her thoughts then, when one of the porters ignited the candles, the Great Hall was suddenly engulfed in a blinding white light the likes that had only been seen there once before.

Hermione Granger blinked away the bright sunlight that had struck her eyes as she watched her best friend, Harry Potter, catch the golden snitch once more. He made it seem so effortless and easy, almost as if he were born into the position of Quidditch seeker. She didn’t know when she’d screamed his name or how she’d gotten from the top of the stands to the pitch, cheering hoarsely for him, but there he was, the boy she had fallen in love with holding the Quidditch Cup aloft in one hand and Ginny Weasley in his other.

She was devastated by the sight, but her need for him in her life overruled the urge to crawl into a corner and cry until she fell asleep. So Hermione did what she’d always done, cheered him on has his best friend should and hid her feelings.

The trio, plus Ginny, were sitting in the common room the next day, reading poetry from a muggle book that Hermione had brought with her from home. They thought it was great fun, and Harry had discreetly mentioned that he’d loved the stuff.

“Think of me, think of me fondly, when we’ve said goodbye,” Ginny read aloud from the book. “Remember me, once in a while – please promise me you’ll try...”

“Is this really poetry?” Ron asked with a snort of derision. “I mean, where’s the rhyming?”

Ginny looked furiously from the book to her brother, her face reddening the entire time. “Ron, let me read the blasted stuff, will you?” She growled at him.

“Then start making it rhyme!” Ron said indignantly. “I want to hear poetry that’s supposed to be what it is, not flowery sing-song lyrics!”

Ginny threw the book on the floor and stood angrily. “You’ve done nothing but belittle what I’ve been doing since Harry and I started dating, Ron!” She seethed then turned towards Harry, her demeanor changing immediately. “I’ll be back, Harry, I need to go to the loo...” She bent and kissed him lightly on his proffered cheek and left for the girl’s dormitories.

“Speaking of which, I need something to eat,” Ron said with a shrug directed at his sister. “Why do you only let her kiss you on the cheek, Harry?”

Harry looked up in surprise and smiled sheepishly. “We haven’t been dating that long, now have we?” He said cheekily. “I’m still working up to it...”

Ron snorted again and left for the kitchens, leaving Harry and Hermione sitting in the common room. Hermione picked up her book and waved her wand over it, repairing the broken binding.

“I’m sorry she broke your book, Hermione,” Harry said apologetically.

Hermione looked up at him and her heart began to beat faster when she caught the look in his eyes. “I-It’s ok, Harry,” she said self-consciously, “I am a witch and can fix it, after all...”

Harry smiled gently to his best friend and motioned to the book. “Why don’t you finish what Ginny started?” He asked as his smile went to the dazzlingly wide one that Hermione loved so much.

“What she’s started...” Hermione said blankly as Harry took the book out of her hands and opened it to the poem in question.

Harry laughed. “I’ve heard you read some of this aloud down by the lake...”

Hermione snapped out of her trance and smiled shyly before turning her attention to the book in her lap. Her cheeks turned a bit pink as she began to recite the poem. “Think of me, think of me fondly, when we’ve said goodbye. Remember me once in a while – please promise me you’ll try –” She finished the poem and somehow found Harry lying on the floor with his head in her lap, his eyes closed, and smiling contentedly. Her blush raged as she realized what was happening. Could it be? Can it be that Harry likes me too?

A/N: So begins another story ;) I've chosen the first scene of The Phantom of the Opera for the basis of this ficlet. In actuality, I've chosen the entire musical as the basis for the entire week and each fic will be a 'scene' or chapter for the larger story :) This was the 'mystery' portion and I hope you enjoyed the brief build up!

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 20)
Challenge: [Musical Week] Love/Romance
Title: Phantoms of War: Act I, Scene II
Word Count: 1,000

Following the events of that afternoon, Hermione found herself walking around the school in a slight daze. She couldn’t help but feel elated that Harry Potter, her best friend, could possibly feel the same for her that she did for him.

Is that why he refuses to let Ginny kiss him properly? She mused in a dreamy voice in her head as she relived the scene in the common room. Some voice in the back of Hermione’s mind whispered it was where he was meant to be and redheaded witch was wrong for him.

Hermione set her books down in the back corner of the library, not her usual seat, but she felt drawn to the hard-to-find corner for some reason.

“Hermione?” Ginny asked again in a somewhat frustrated manner.

“What?” Hermione jumped, a startled look on her face. “Oh, Ginny, I didn’t see you come in...”

“I’ve been trying to find you, where in the world have you been hiding?” The young Weasley asked with a curious look on her face.

“Oh, I just took my time getting here,” Hermione stammered as she pulled out her Arithmancy book. “I thought I’d do some studying for tomorrow...”

Ginny saw the glint in Hermione’s eyes and sat down at the table with a wide smile on her face. “Study? Again? You don’t look like you’re in the mood for studying, Hermione, besides you’ve got perfect marks in that class.”

“What do you mean I don’t look like I’m in the mood?” Hermione asked crossly, though it was more in surprise than anger.

“There’s something about you, Hermione,” Ginny whispered, “who’s the bloke?”

“W-what?”

“I know that day dream look, Hermione,” Ginny whispered more urgently. When Hermione refused to say anything Ginny pushed back slightly and shook her head. “Keep it a secret then,” she said with a shrug. “I only wish I knew your secret... Who is this new suitor?”

Hermione shrugged. “There is no suitor... Though,” her eyes glazed over slightly and a smile caressed her face, “My father once spoke of an angel that I used to dream would appear... Even as I sit here I know he’s near. Here in this room, he calls me softly, somewhere inside hiding... Somehow I know he’s always with me, he, my unseen guardian...”

“Hermione, you must have been dreaming, stories like this can’t come true,” Ginny placed her hands on Hermione’s shivering ones, “Hermione, you’re talking in riddles and it’s not like you... Your hands are cold and your face is white... Hermione?”

“S-sorry, I just got a shiver and it frightened me for a moment,” Hermione said quietly, pulling her hands out from under Ginny’s.

“The temperature is fine. Do you want me to get one of your jumpers for you?”

“That’s ok, I just need to get to work,” Hermione said with a slight smile.

“Hey, maybe you can use this,” Harry said as he handed Hermione a red jumper.

“Where did you get this?” Hermione asked perplexed. “I thought I lost it in France with my parents...”

“You told me about it when we snuck into the attic at the Burrow to look at the ghoul,” Harry said with a laugh. “Hedwig went out to look for it for me, but it was all tattered so I got you a new one to replace it. It might be the right size, I’m not familiar with women’s sizes,” he admitted with a shrug and sat down with the two girls. “Mind if I study with my best friend, Gin?” He asked with a wide grin.

“Not at all,” Ginny said with a kiss to his cheek. “I need to hunt down Ron anyway, See you later tonight?”

Harry nodded and smiled as Ginny left the Library then turned back to Hermione. “What was that story you told me?” He asked her once she’d gotten the red jumper over her head. “Little Lotte let her mind wander...”

“You remember that too?” She asked with a smile.

“... Little Lotte thought: Am I fonder of dolls...” Harry continued.

“... or of goblins, of shoes...” They said together.

“... or of riddles, of frocks...” Hermione smiled in recollection.

“... or of chocolates...” Harry laughed.

“I remember when my father played the violin that summer you visited,” she said wistfully as a tear slipped to her cheek. “I miss him so much, Harry.”

Without another word, Harry caught her in his arms and comforted her by stroking her hair. “I know, those were some dark stories he recited to us...”

“The ones of the North?” Hermione asked softly, sinking into the warmth of his arms. “What I love best, Lotte said, is when I’m asleep in my bed and I’d dream of that angel my father told me about...”

“It’s time for dinner, Hermione,” Harry whispered in her ear after an indeterminable amount of time, “I’ll take your books to the common room and meet you in the Great Hall, ok?”

“Ok,” Hermione said with a sigh, “I’m just going to sit here for a few more minutes...”

“I’ll come get you then,” he said gently as they pulled apart.

“No, I’ll meet you in the Great Hall,” she said with a slight smile. “I’ll be fine, really.”

“It’s no problem at all, I’ll see you here in ten minutes,” Harry returned with a wide smile. Without another word, he grabbed both of their bags and disappeared from the library. Hermione watched him leave as her heart seemingly grew bigger and bigger, her thoughts from before screaming that he had the same feelings for her as she did for him.

A chilled breeze floated from behind her and Hermione shivered. She suddenly felt sleepy and before she knew what was happening, strong arms lifted her drowsy form from the chair, cradling her like a child.

“H-Harry?” She asked as her vision grew blurry.

“Hermione, I’m your angel,” a deep voice whispered as she finally fell asleep in the arms of the man she thought was Harry Potter.

A/N: Ok, so it isn't overly romantic, but I think I've touched on the depths of how much Harry cares for Hermione and from act I scene I, we know that Hermione loves him. Sometimes romance can be a simple matter of comforting someone when they need it and anticipating when they need warm clothing... :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 21)
Challenge: [Musical Week] Angst
Title: Phantoms of War: Act I, Scene III
Word Count: 1,069

“Hermione!” A voice cried in the distance that sounded much like that of the young man she’d fallen in love with.

“Harry, I’m right here...” She said sleepily, reaching out to the blurry figure that was standing at the lakes edge.

He turned around, his face passive as if he were wearing a mask. He reached out his hand and slowly caressed her cheek and she instinctively pressed her face into his touch. “You are my angel of hope, Hermione,” The blur said lovingly.

Hermione still felt groggy and she clasped her hands over his. “Your hands are so cold, Harry,” she whispered. “Where are we?”

“Someplace private where we can be bothered no longer,” he replied quietly. “I have brought you, to the seat of sweet victory’s throne, to that place where all must pay homage to darkness,” the blur said seductively. “You have come here, for one purpose and one alone... Since the moment I first saw his look, he needed you with him, to help him to win... But now you’re my servant, my servant.”

Hermione looked at him curiously, “What are you talking about?”

The figure she thought was Harry spun about in a flourish and looked to the setting sun. “Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation... Darkness stirs and wakes imagination...” He waved his arms with his wand in his hand as he seemed to chant the words reverently. “Silently her senses abandon their defenses... Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor...”

Hermione stood quietly, having no control over her actions, while he continued in his methodical, mesmerizing wand motions. She felt herself become lightheaded and all her cares began to fade away.

“Grasp it, sense it – tremulous and tender...” He continued to incant as Hermione reached for the elusive darkness that filled the cavern, a bright shaft of light from the setting sun struck her face and she squinted into it, smiling slightly as her attention turned towards the retreating disc. “Turn your face away from the garish light of day, turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light... and listen to the music of the night...” His voice continued to reverberate in her head and she quickly recoiled back into the shadows.

“Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams! Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before!” His voice came to a crescendo in her head as pictures of Harry receiving the Dementor’s kiss filled her head, or of him falling to the killing curse. “Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar! And you’ll live as you’ve never lived before...

“Slowly, deftly, darkness shall surround you... Feel it, hear it, closing in around you... Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind, in this darkness which you know you cannot fight – the darkness of the music of the night...” He began circling her as she reached to him lovingly, caressing his mask as mist from the lake began to obscure their forms. “Let your mind start a journey to a strange, new world! Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before! Let your soul take you into service to me... Only then can you belong to me...”

Hermione smiled at the man in front of her, his wand floating of its own accord, a yellowish light pouring from it that swiftly dissolved in the mist. She felt lightheaded and dizzy then began to sink to the floor as she started to lose consciousness.

“Floating, falling, sweet intoxication! Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation! Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in to the power of this magic I recite, become mine, my agent of the night...” She felt his hands caress her face gently. Hermione looked to the faceless mask above her and smiled dreamily. “You alone can make my will take flight, help me win the war against the light...”

She hooked the mask with her fingers as her eyes began to droop and slid it off her love’s face to reveal cold, white flesh. Her heart screamed, but something caused her to caress his wrinkled skin as if he were the most fragile china. His black hair cascaded over his forehead as she swept it aside before he kissed tenderly.

“Fear has turned to love, you’ll learn to see, to find the power that will help me win... That loathsome Potter will burn in hell for eternity while I sit upon my throne...” He whispered seductively. “Hermione, sleep... You will act as my servant and help me defeat Harry Potter...”

Hermione did as commanded, a smile of contentment on her lips as she drifted off to a slumber filled with dark thoughts of death and despair, of Voldemort standing victoriously over the broken body of Harry Potter with her wrapped in the victor’s arms receiving her rewards for loyal service. “Forget until the time is right, my sweet angel... Quick! We must return before those two foolish friends of yours will be missing you...” Her lord’s voice whispered to her from somewhere beyond the ether of her subconscious mind’s curtain. Hermione felt herself being lifted from the cold, hard stone and she wrapped her arms lovingly around the man who cradled her in his.

“Hermione, Hermione wake up...” She heard Harry’s voice as he shook her gently. Hermione's eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Harry?” She said quietly as her eyes adjusted to the stabbing pain of the light, she covered them gingerly and looked around the library. “Did I fall asleep?”

“You’ve been missing all night,” Harry said worriedly as he helped her sit up. “I returned to walk you to dinner and you were gone. Then this morning, I found you back here. What happened?”

She felt a shiver run down her spine when she looked into his eyes, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she almost sneered at him.

“Hermione?” He asked bewildered as her face relaxed.

“I had a dream,” she said quietly, averting her gaze from her best friend, “and my head feels like someone fired off one of Fred’s fireworks in it...”

He helped her to her feet and she swayed momentarily. “What was it about?” Harry asked quietly.

“I-I remember there was mist...” She began as the memory became increasingly hazy. “Swirling mist upon a vast, glassy lake... Yellow lights were all around and in the mist there was a man...”

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 22)
Challenge: [Musical Week] Comedy
Title: Phantoms of War: Act II, Scene I
Word Count: 1,277

“Harry, is that you?” A tall, gangly boy with a cat’s mask asked as he walked up to three other students in the Great Hall.

“Ron?” Harry asked from behind his golden mask.

“It’s rather difficult to tell who’s who with the hoods over their hair, don’t you think?” Hermione asked from behind the mask of a lamb.

“There you are, Harry!” A tall, slim girl with a swan mask said cheerfully as she pushed Hermione out of the way. “Out of the way, you sniveling little toad!” Cho Chang hissed as she sidled next to Harry. “I don’t see why you let her hang on you like that, Harry dear,” she said with a pompous air.

Hermione stared at the girl incredulously as her best friend tried in vain to remove her from his arm. “Cho, you do realize that he has a girlfriend, don’t you?” Hermione’s question fell on deaf ears, however, causing Hermione to suddenly want to wring the girl’s neck. She stopped and shook her head when she found her hands rising to do just that. What just happened? She thought confusedly.

“Who’s standing right here,” Ginny growled, matching her tiger mask perfectly.

“Cho, we’ve been over since fifth year, why do you keep this up?” Harry asked exasperatedly as he finally wrenched his arm free.

“I’ve just gotten word that they’re going to crown a king and queen for the ball, Harry, obviously it’ll be you and I,” she said confidently. “It’s so obvious what everyone thinks about us...”

“Obvious to everyone but you,” Ginny seethed as she pushed the woman away from her boyfriend. “Why don’t you go play with the other ugly ducklings? I’m sure Pansy needs someone standing around to make her feel pretty...”

“I’ve never!” Cho said with dignity. She turned on her heel and pushed Hermione away again. “Didn’t I tell you to stay out from under foot, toad?” She seethed and stomped to the front of the room where a stage had been set up.

A toad?! Hermione seethed, feeling the anger and hatred boil in her blood. We’ll just see who the toad is, won’t we? She growled to herself as an unseen, wicked smile spread across her lips.

“I’ll see you two in a minute,” Harry said as his best friend and girlfriend left for punch. “Hermione, are you ok?” He asked tenderly.

She turned around faster than he’d anticipated, wand at the ready then stopped herself from hexing him. “Oh, Harry, you frightened me,” she said as she put her wand away. What’s wrong with me?

“I should say so,” he said, obviously confused. “Would you like to dance? Maybe we could talk while we’re on the floor?”

“Sure, Harry,” Hermione said quietly, tilting her head slightly.

They stepped out onto the dance floor and Harry caught her up into a graceful waltz, joining in with the rest of those who were enjoying the old-fashioned music.

“You’ve been acting strangely the past few weeks,” Harry commented quietly as they turned this way and that in sync with the music and each other. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I’ve been studying hard for the N.E.W.T.s, that’s all...”

“So have I,” Harry said as he dipped her, “and I’ve been watching you daydream most of the time...”

Hermione shook her head and looked at the crowd. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” she admitted as much to herself as to Harry.

“About what?” He asked with a slight smile. Hermione looked to his eyes and hers went wide when she saw an eerily familiar porcelain mask. She blinked and Harry’s curious eyes were staring back at her through the slits in his golden one.

“Masquerades,” she whispered, “paper faces on parade... you can hide your face so the world will never find you...”

Harry laughed and twirled her around, making her smile. “Don’t look now, but there’s another mask behind you,” he said with a grin.

Hermione turned and the white porcelain mask was gazing back in turn. She gulped nervously and looked at another couple; both were wearing the same, disturbing mask. Her heart began to beat furiously as she let go of Harry to see that everyone was wearing the same, white masks.

“HERMIONE!” Harry had her by the shoulders, shaking her slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Harry, I’m scared...” She said as her hands began to tremble uncontrollably. She looked to him with darkening eyes, feeling her world start to slip away.

“What is there to be afraid of, Hermione?” He asked gently but someone tugged at his arm and pulled him away from her.

“Harry, you’re needed on stage, didn’t you hear the announcement?"

“What?” Harry looked in confusion at his best friend. “What are you talking about, Ron?”

“Ah, here he is, the King of the Masquerade, Mr. Potter!” Dumbledore announced with a laugh.

Hermione watched as Harry slipped from her grasp to the safety of the crowd. Safety? She thought as she followed after him.

“The toad is in my way yet again!” Cho said in a huff as she pushed Hermione to the side. “I’ve got to get to the stage, be good and get out from under foot?”

Hermione glared daggers at the back of Cho’s head as the Queen of the masquerade made her way on stage. That’s the last time you call me toad... She pulled out her wand discretely and waited for the best opportunity to strike.

“And now a speech from our reigning royalty!” Dumbledore said loudly as Cho stepped up with her arm around Harry’s. He looked rather uncomfortable and was having a difficult time extricating himself from the girl who latched onto him.

Hermione smiled wickedly as she incanted the spell that would put Cho in her place.

“I’d just like to thank every*CROAK*!” Cho stopped and smiled apologetically, reddening slightly as a few laughs struck her from the crowd. She cleared her throat and began again. “I’m sorry about that, but as I was saying, I’d like to *CROAK*!” More laughter filled the room as she covered her mouth. “What’s happ*CROAK*!” She looked terrified and glanced at Harry, who was now stepping away from her. “Harr*CROAK*! *CROAK*!” The laughter increased as Cho grew smaller and smaller, taking on a decidedly green sheen before her dress fell away to reveal a horned toad encircled by a tiara.

Despite the seriousness of the moment, all the students in the Great Hall were nearly rolling on the floor in laughter as the once proud Ravenclaw seeker attempted to hop off stage, only to be caught by Professor Dumbledore.

“Though this was an... interesting... prank, I do not believe it was appropriate to transfigure Miss Chang into a horny toad,” he said sternly. “You know who you are, as well as I do, I will see you privately after the Masquerade Ball has ended.” He handed the transfigured Cho to Professor McGonagall, along with the young witch’s robes and waved his hand to the center of the Great Hall.

“You may continue dancing while we reverse this... unfortunate prank.” A large chandelier with multi-colored candles came into existence in the middle of the Great Hall and began to spin lazily, casting rainbow-like spots of light around the room.

Hermione, though she knew she was in trouble, smiled at the sight of the true toad and turned to walk away. She didn’t get very far when she collided with the chest of Harry Potter, who was wearing a large, wide, toothy smile. “Shall we continue where we left off?” He asked with a heart-felt laugh and Hermione smiled in return, taking his hand in hers.

A/N: AKJennyMay might like what happened... hehe ;) This is taken from a combination of areas in The Phantom of the Opera. I combined the opera where Carlotta starts croaking like a frog with the Masquerade ball from the opening of Act II. This is my comedy, humiliating Cho Chang ;) *grin* The Grand Finale is set for tomorrow! Don't miss it! I know I went over again... I just needed the few hundred extra words to flesh out the scene. I'm really, really trying not to make a habit out of it! :) (HONEST!)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 23)
Challenge: [Musical Week] The Big Cast Ensemble Piece
Title: Phantoms of War: Act II, Scene II
Word Count: 2,743

The young couple danced to each and every song, happily tuning out the rest of the world as they spun happily around the dance floor. Hermione felt lightheaded and dizzy, unable to pull her eyes from Harry’s sparkling green gaze.

“Hermione?” Harry asked suddenly.

“Hmm?” she replied dreamily.

Harry pulled her in close causing her heart to suddenly skip a beat when his hot breath trickled over her sensitive ear. “Did you like my forced animagus transformation of Cho?” he whispered with a soft chuckle.

“That was you?!” Hermione hissed as she covered her mouth with her hand.

“I couldn’t let her comments towards my best girl hang over our heads, now could I?” he asked with a laugh. “I imagine that she thought her animagus form was a secret, but I saw the first time she transformed...”

“Y-you did that for me?” Hermione asked in confusion.

Harry nodded with a wide grin on his face and looked to her curiously when she suddenly stopped dancing. “What’s wrong?”

Hermione didn’t answer because her attention was drawn to a striking figure on the stage who was dressed in a black and red jester’s costume. His mask was that of a skull that seemed to constantly be grinning evilly.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, I welcome you to the evening’s main event!” the newcomer shouted over the now dying music. Everyone stopped at the outburst and looked to the stage, curious as to what he was talking about.

“Let’s give our esteemed guest a little space on the floor,” the figure said with a bout of high-pitched laughter. Hermione stiffened at the sound and she backed away from Harry almost automatically along with the rest of the school but was stopped by some unseen force.

Harry, on the other hand, recognized the shield that was surrounding the three of them. He growled menacingly as his wand magically appeared in his hand. “Hermione, get back.”

The jester hopped down from the stage and laughed again. With his arm raised in peace, he turned towards Hermione and beckoned with a single finger. “Come, my love, it’s time to face your fate...”

To Harry’s surprise Hermione started towards him at a slow pace.

“That’s it, my love, your angel awaits...” the jester said softly, smiling at the look of terror on Harry’s face.

“In sleep you came to me, in dreams you came,” Hermione said with a thick voice. “Your voice entrances me, what is your name...”

“Hermione’s under his spell...” Harry whispered, eyes wide. “The Library!”

“You resist,” the jester said eerily, “but you’ve passed the point of no return! No backward glances: the games we’ve played till now are at an end...”

“Past all thought of ‘if’ or ‘when’ – no use resisting: abandon thought and let the dream descend...” Hermione said as she pulled her wand from her robes and turned towards Harry.

“I am your angel... Listen to me, your angel...” the jester said softly, concentrating his gaze on Hermione.

Hermione stood transfixed, scenes of Harry’s broken body flooding her mind once again. A tear trickled from her eye as she lifted her wand into the air.

“If you’re an angel, you’re an angel of darkness, Voldemort!” Harry spat at the jester. “Release her!”

Voldemort smiled wickedly at the pleading youth and began whispering, “I am your angel, finish him, my love...” over and over again.

“Hermione! Hermione, listen to me!” Harry pleaded. “Whatever you think this thing is he doesn’t love you! It’s me you want, Voldemort, let her go! Take me instead!”

Voldemort ignored the please once again and continued his whispering, “Defeat him, my love; remove this blight from the earth...”

A red light began to appear at the end of Hermione’s wand. “The-Boy-Who-Lived...”

“Hermione, he doesn’t love you!” Harry pleaded with her. “I-I love you...”

Hermione looked at him with confusion then looked to the jester. “You said...”

“He hates you... he lies to save his life...” Voldemort cooed.

“More lies!” Harry spat. “When have I lied to you, Hermione?”

“Past the point of no return, no backward glances...” Hermione said as she leveled her wand on Harry and walked closer.

“Such spirited words, boy,” Voldemort crowed.

Hermione stopped right in front of Harry, the light at the tip of her wand glowing madly, attempting to escape its cylindrical prison. “Do you mean that?” she asked warningly. “Do you really love me, Harry?”

“I do, Hermione, I love you...” he admitted passionately, his cheeks flushing brightly.

Hermione raised her wand high in the air. “Past the point of no return, the final threshold...” she whispered mechanically and turned to Voldemort as her wand let loose its magic. “EXPELLIARMUS!”

The Dark Lord scowled at the turn of events and with a simple wave of his wand, the disarming charm simply ricocheted into the shield with a bang. “So be it! Now let it be war upon you both!” he shouted angrily as the shield fell away.

Harry’s wand was in the air immediately. “REDUCTO!” he shouted and stumbled back as the spell shot harmlessly in the air. Voldemort laughed with amusement but stopped when he saw the smirk on Harry’s face. There were screams as students rushed from the Great Hall as Voldemort looked up to see the large chandelier crash into him.

“You can’t win her love by making her your slave, Riddle!” Harry spat as he tried to push her towards the doors.

“Our young friend speaks the truth,” Dumbledore said angrily from the stage as he launched a blue light at the dizzy riddle, who regained his composure enough to apparate out of the way.

“Train your sights on Voldemort!” Remus Lupin shouted above the din of the arriving Aurors. “Keep the students safe! We’ve tracked down this murderer, he’s been found!”

“I’m past the point of no return, no backward glances...” Harry growled as he strode into the middle of the fighting. Concealed Death Eaters making their appearance to lend support to their lord began to knock out the wizarding law enforcement. Spells flew across the room as Auror’s attentions were changing to the followers of Voldemort instead of the ring leader himself.

“Harry!” Hermione yelled and stunned a Death Eater who was sneaking up behind him. “Harry, I’ve been there, to his world of unending night... To his world where daylight dissolves into darkness...”

Harry looked at her after realizing the ruse Voldemort had played on them all. After the chandelier fell, he’d fled, leaving a decoy in his wake. “The dungeons!” he hissed and started off, but was caught by Hermione.

“He’ll kill you... I don’t want to lose you, not when I’ve just found out that you love me...” she said earnestly.

“We need to find him before he gets away!” Ron shouted as he ran over to his two best friends.

“It shouldn’t have taken a façade like this to wake you up, Harry,” Ginny said with a punch to his arm. “I’m never pretending to be your girlfriend again!”

“If you don’t stop talking, I’m going to go after him myself!” Neville said angrily. “Not after what he did to my Gran!”

“Or my mother,” Luna piped in with an uncannily coherent voice.

“Voldemort’s escaped!” Shacklebolt bellowed over the din of the fighting. “We have to track him down before he gets out of the castle!”

Professor Dumbledore suddenly appeared in the midst of the small group of friends. “I know it’s cruel to have you face your fate, but we must stop him before it’s too late...”

“He’s in the labyrinth,” Hermione said urgently. “I’ve been there, trapped in a room with an underground lake...”

“The piers!” Harry said evenly and without a word shot out of the room. The rest of the group was hot on his tails.

“Track down this murderer,” the portraits said angrily, pointing where the Dark Lord had fled, “he must be found... Track down this animal, who runs to ground!”

They weaved, zigzagged and ducked through what seemed like countless tapestries, hidden passages, and doorways before coming to a steel bound door.

“REDUCTO!” Dumbledore shouted, knocking the door clean off its hinges into the black water beyond. There was a small boat sitting at a dock, the piers were empty.

“Where has he gone?” Hermione asked as she used her wand as a flashlight, checking the shadows of the large room. Harry did the same as Dumbledore walked towards the shore.

Before anyone could act, Hermione screamed as a white hand shot from under the robes of her headmaster and wrapped around her neck. Voldemort’s wand jabbed painfully into her temple and he let out another of his laughs.

Hermione raised her wand in an attempt to disarm him but winced at the grip on her neck.

“Wait! I think, my dear, I do protest!” Voldemort said with a sneer firmly planted on his face. He looked to Harry and that sneer turned to one of wicked enjoyment. “This is indeed an unparalleled delight! I had hoped that she would do this but she faltered.” His grin widened to a hideous mockery of giddiness as malice flickered in his cold, dead, eyes. “And now my wish comes true – you have truly made my night!”

“Free her!” Ron yelled with his wand raised.

“Do what you want to me, only free her!” Harry said lowering his.

“Have you no pity?” Luna asked in a daze.

“Your lover and friends make a passionate plea!” Voldemort laughed.

“Harry, no! Don’t listen to him!” Hermione shouted hoarsely.

“I love her!” Harry growled.

“Does that mean nothing?” Ginny asked from the side where she’d tried to sneak up on their quarry.

“I love you! I’m not going to let him do anything to you!” Harry said to Hermione.

“Show some compassion,” Neville pleaded, his face white and his knuckles whiter as he clutched the wand in his hand desperately.

“The world showed no compassion to me!” Voldemort hissed in reply. “Nothing can save you now, my sweet boy...” he said maliciously to Harry. “If you strike at me, I take her with me to hell, if you don’t, I send you on your way!” He looked at Hermione and his wicked smile returned before glancing back at Harry. “This is the choice – this is the point of no return!”

“Hermione, forgive me, I should have said something sooner...” Harry said sadly, his wand dropping to the floor of the cave.

“Harry, don’t!” Hermione screamed as Voldemort summoned his wand then cast the cruciatus curse on him.

Harry screamed in an unholy agony as his body contorted unnaturally. Neville backed away from his thrashing friend and tripped over an oar, sprawling into the lake behind him. Luna dove into the dark waters after their clumsy friend in an attempt to save Neville. Ginny tried to disarm the lord of dark wizards but found herself sailing through the air and crumpling to the ground unconscious after she hit the wall. Ron got a curse off that Voldemort barely dodged. His face now bleeding, he put Ron under the cruciatus as well, giving Harry a slight breather from the pain.

“You alone could make my plan take flight,” Voldemort hissed evilly as he stalked closer to Hermione. “Without you, my dove, I was bound to sit in darkness and plot endlessly. Past all hope of cries for help: no point in fighting – for either way you chose, you couldn’t win, my sweet mudblo–argh!”

Harry looked up weakly at the scream of pain that issued from the Dark Lord’s mouth. The white-skinned man’s back was arched as a sputtering Neville pushed against him again with a long spear.

“That’s for my parents and my Gran!” He shouted as Voldemort flailed in pain.

“Harry, now’s your chance!” Luna shouted from Ginny’s side.

“Use mine,” Hermione whispered as she handed him her wand. “I’ll look after Ron, go!” She kissed him quickly on the lips and went to their unconscious friend.

“It’s over now, your terror of the night...” Harry growled as he slid Hermione’s wand straight into the Dark Lord’s gullet where a piece of the chandelier had impaled him. The wands slipped from the weakened grip of Voldemort as Harry looked him dead in the eyes. “It’s time you went home, old friend. INCENDIO!”

Voldemort’s high-pitched scream echoed throughout the cavern and into the castle. His thin frame engulfed by flames and held steady by Neville Longbottom as if he were toasting a sausage over a campfire. The young man collapsed when the ashes of Voldemort crumbled to the earth and blew away in a sudden gust of wind.

Harry, unable to hold himself on his feet, fell to the floor. Hermione rushed to him, cradling Harry in her arms as if he were a small child in need of protection. “He’s not breathing!” she cried as she rocked him back and forth. “HELP!”

“Sold for seven thousand Galleons to Albus Dumbledore, thank you, sir,” The auctioneer said, stirring Hermione from her reverie. She looked around at the auction goers and reverently held Harry Potter’s famed broom in front of her.

“I see you couldn’t stay away after all,” her old headmaster said with a twinkle in his eyes. “This charity auction will benefit thousands of children, Hermione.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “I’ve got what I came for, Albus. I’ll see you when the next term starts.”

Hermione walked slowly onto the school grounds then disapparated when she’d reached the apparation point just outside of the school gates. She reappeared in the foyer of her large home and walked into a room that was full of Gryffindor memorabilia. Hermione gently set the Firebolt on a wall hanging that had a picture of Harry flying on it from third year when they’d finally taken the Quidditch Cup from Slytherin. Her eyes glazed over as she ran her finger over the photo’s cheek and sighed.

“You were once, my one companion... you were all that mattered...” she whispered silently as a tear streaked down her cheek. “You were once my friend and lover – then my world was shattered... Wishing you were somehow here again... wishing you were somehow near...”

“Why so gloomy, beautiful?” his voice echoed in the room and Hermione turned around to see the man she loved standing in the door.

“Harry!” She cried out and ran into his waiting arms.

He laughed as he encircled her body with his strong arms and kissed her tenderly. “Training took longer than I thought,” he said quietly after they’d pulled away slightly. “When I told them I’d rather teach about defense instead of chasing dark wizards down again, they told me I was done with the program...”

“You’re going to teach?” she asked as tears continued to slip down her face. “I was afraid...”

“Shh,” Harry said quietly as he wiped the salty drops from her cheeks, “No more talk of darkness, forget those wide-eyed fears. I’m here, nothing can harm you, my words will warm and calm you.” He got to one knee and looked into her shocked face. “Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I’m here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you...” he cleared his throat and smiled lovingly, taking her trembling hands in his. “Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime... let me lead you from your solitude. Say you need me with you here, beside you... anywhere you go, let me go too – Hermione, that’s all I ask of you.”

“Then say you love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime...” she whispered in reply. “Say you need me with you now and always... promise me that all you say is true – Harry, that’s all I ask of you...”

“Hermione, I love you, spend the rest of your life with me?” He asked as he produced a small, velvet box with a glittering diamond ring nestled on a silk pillow.

“Anywhere you go, I will go too,” Hermione said as she nodded. Harry placed the ring on her finger and caught her in a bone-crushing hug. “I love you, Harry!”

They parted a few minutes later and he smiled gently at her beaming face. “The Firebolt wasn’t necessary, Love... you, alone, have made my heart take flight...”

“It’s over now, the darkness and the night...” Hermione whispered happily as they kissed once again.

A/N: Well, there you have it! The end of the Phantoms of War! Thank you for joining me on this ride ;) It’s over the word count, but that’s fine with me! Heh, have a good one!

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 26)
Challenge: [Movie Week] Suspense/Horror
Title: By the Grace of an Angel
Word Count: 1,015

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione Granger saw the shadow pass through the trees once again. Her heart was beating frantically, her side aching from the heaving breaths she’d been taking in her flight. Now, more than ever, did she realize just how unfit her body was.

Fighting the urge to scream, she ran in the opposite direction of her pursuer, pushing the engulfing foliage of the forbidden forest from her face. A clicking sound echoed above her, followed by another to her left. She began to panic when she tripped over a perceived tree branch and fought to get to her feet. With horror, she looked to see the spider web that had entangled her legs, capturing her like a careless fly for the hungry Acromantula hunters on this quiet, moonlit night. The quiet was ripped asunder by her terrified scream when her predator dropped to the ground several yards from her entangled body.

Harry was happy that Ron hadn’t come along to see Grawp with the two of them. Hagrid’s half-brother didn’t recognize many people from the castle, Ron being one of them. That thought alone wasn’t what caused Harry’s apparent relief it was the sudden Acromantula attack that he was concerned about. He and Hermione had been split when the wave of spiders engulfed the unsuspecting giant and he fell after a few feeble attempts to rid himself of the gnashing arachnids.

He and his best friend had run when Grawp shouted for them to go but another large force of the intelligent, giant spiders forced them apart. Hermione had lost her bearings and when he realized that she’d run towards the heart of the forest, his hopes of seeing her alive began to dwindle.

The centaurs wouldn’t be any help due to their animosity towards wizards, not to mention they were willing to kill the human children last year when Hermione tricked Umbridge into the forest. Harry couldn’t count on them. Grawp was likely dead, and Hagrid was off on another mission for the Order.

He stopped in his tracks when a single, high-pitched, scream shattered his senses and without a thought to his personal safety, ran full-tilt towards his horror-stricken friend.

The spider clicked its mandibles menacingly as a type of green goo dribbled from the pincers that were hidden in its maw. Hermione thrashed violently in a panicked attempt to untangle herself but the webbing held fast and her frantic movements only caused them to become more entwined with the sticky fabric.

Tears erupted spontaneously from her eyes as the spider straddled its eight long, hairy, legs over her body and began to excrete more webbing onto her legs. Her eyes went wide and she lost her voice as she suddenly realized that she was being cocooned. Hermione looked up as the spider hissed and saw her reflection in its eight beady eyes. A blood-curdling scream erupted from her lips as the Acromantula lunged for the kill.

Harry suppressed a shudder as he realized how far into the forest Hermione had run. His pursuit of his best friend had slowed to a seeming crawl once he spotted the tangled mess of webs that lined the forest floor. Skeletons of various creatures hung on some of the largest trees, a centaur or two, deer, wolves, bears, and something that seemed to be a large snake were attached to the trunks with sticky webbing.

He scanned the canopy every chance he could, noticing the black forms of Aragog’s children scurrying happily along the lofty branches. His skin crawled as he remembered the wave of spider flesh that had chased after Ron and him during his second year, then again with poor Grawp.

It seemed like he’d been picking his way through the sticky trap for hours when he stopped cold in his tracks. One of the largest spiders he’d ever seen, aside from its father, was spinning a cocoon on something that was thrashing madly beneath its massive body. His eyes went wide when he realized what was happening.

“ARANEA EXIME!” He shouted with his wand leveled at the beast.

Hermione closed her eyes instinctively as the monster lurched towards her then opened them suddenly when she heard the familiar voice of Harry Potter screaming a spell she hadn’t heard performed.

The blotted sun that still reached the forest floor was relieved of its obstruction when the spell hit the spider’s side and knocked it several meters to her left. A smile filled her face as her tears continued to fall when Harry rushed to her side and cut the webs with a simple spell.

“I’m sorry!” she yelped as she flung herself into his waiting arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Hermione,” Harry said reassuringly, “But you’ve got to pull yourself together, it’s not safe–”

“Harry, we can’t get out, there’s too many!” she cried as the two of them looked around the clearing. A veritable wall of spiders crept forward, clicking menacingly at their hopeful lunch.

“When I tell you, run, Hermione,” Harry said as he took his wand from her hand and handed hers back. “I found it on the way...” he explained as the backed into one another.

Hermione stopped and watched with perplexed interest as spiders began to jump straight into the air or to the side of a blocked escape route. It seemed as if a lump the size of a wagon was scuttling towards them fast and furious. “What?” she asked aloud, her eyes widening in fear.

Harry turned to glance at the phenomenon and he shook Hermione slightly to snap her out of her fear induced paralysis. “Hermione!” he whispered harshly as the lump reached the clearing they were in.

With a loud blast of its horn, Mr. Weasley’s blue Ford Anglia crested a small hill and landed next to the frightened teens. Its door flew open and without a second thought, Harry shoved Hermione into it’s protective interior. The car groaned in protest, but with swift, magical efficiency, it lurched from the ground and out of the spider-infested forest.

A/N: Just so you know, this was inspired by Eight Legged Freaks :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 27)
Challenge: [Movie Week] Biography
Title: WWN: Famous Witches and Wizards
Word Count: 1,000

RITA SKEETER sits in the interviewer’s seat reading the latest copy of The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.

Rita shivers and winces at the proper name of Voldemort, causing Hermione to laugh slightly.

Hermione blushes slightly and looks to her clasped hands. A simple gold band reflects the stage lights as a small smile spreads across her glowing features.

A/N: There are several biographies on A&E, HBO, you name it. I chose to take a small part where Hermione was interviewed. This is the biography of The Dream Team. It's a multi-part special on WWN interviewing everyone related to the trio and how they came to be friends.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 28)
Challenge: [Movie Week] Drama
Title: Nothing In Common
Word Count: 1,003

“I never asked you to come for me!” she growled from her wheelchair.

“Uncle Vernon’s been gone for three years and Dudley refused, Aunt Petunia,” Harry said with a sigh as he pushed her down the hall from her previously occupied hospital room. “I’m the only one who could come get you.”

“I suppose you’ve heard that I need someone to watch over me...” she grumbled. “Out of everyone, I wouldn’t have expected you to come here.”

“Who else would?” Harry asked heatedly. “Besides, Hermione and I have already set aside a room for you to stay in until you can get out on your own.” He Looked crossly at her and frowned. “I know what you’re thinking and Hermione is not a freak, nor am I. Just because we do what we do doesn’t mean that we’re any different.”

Petunia frowned and kept her gaze directly ahead, lifting her chin imperially in the air as if she were better than anyone else around them.

Harry caught her glaring at him out of the corner of his eye while he filled out her release papers and his mood became darker than it had when he’d received the phone call earlier that day.

“Love, it’s someone from the hospital,” Hermione called from the sitting room. “They say it’s about your Aunt!”

Aunt Petunia? Harry thought with mild surprise. “I haven’t heard from them since I was seventeen, what would cause them to call me?”

“I don’t know, they want to talk to you,” Hermione replied with a look of concern.

“Hello? This is Harry Potter...”

“Mr. Potter? This is Dr. Jones calling,” the man said on the other end of the line. “Your Aunt, Petunia Dursley, is ready for release and we need someone to pick her up.”

“Is there some mistake? What about her husband or son?” Harry asked curiously.

“Your Uncle passed away three years ago and her son refuses to return to England. You’re the only other contact we know of from your previous medical records.”

“I see, well, I suppose I could take her to her house,” Harry said with a shrug. “What needs to be done?”

“You’ll need to fill out some paperwork at the front desk and care for her while she recovers,” the doctor replied.

“I’ll have to what?” Harry asked in disbelief.

“Your aunt suffered from a coronary infarction, Mr. Potter. For the next few months, she’ll need special attention until she’s strong enough to get around on her own... We’ll see you when you get here, Sir.”

“Goodbye,” he said with trembling hands. Harry couldn’t tell if it was nervousness, anger, or shock but the way he looked and the stiff manner in which he sat down spoke volumes to his wife.

The next hour he spent talking to Hermione about the situation and her temper flared as well. Harry decided to try and forgive and forget what he’d gone through as a child and Hermione begrudgingly helped him set a room aside for their new house guest.

“Don’t worry, we’re taking my car,” Harry said exasperatedly before Petunia could protest using magic. “Yes, I do drive, as does Hermione,” he deadpanned before she could say a word.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked after they’d gotten into the car and started towards his childhood home.

“Nobody else will,” he replied simply.

“You know what I mean,” she growled in return. “We haven’t seen each other in ten years, you’re married, in the w-wizarding world... We treated you badly all those years...” she looked to her clasped hands nervously. “Why would you even help me?”

“You’re family,” Harry said with a shrug. “You took me in when you didn’t want to do so. Then, despite your hatred of my parents and me, you kept me in the house until I was seventeen.”

“I didn’t hate you or your parents,” she said evenly. “I hate that you can perform magic! If you were normal, things would have been different!”

“Whether you like it or not, I can perform magic,” Harry said in a growl. “Hermione can and our daughter Lily shows aptitude! We’re helping you to get better and I expect that our wandwork will not be fought against.”

“Y-you named your daughter after Lily?” Petunia asked with mild surprise.

“Yes, we did,” Harry said quietly. “I think Mum and dad would have liked that.”

They didn’t speak again until they’d arrived at privet drive to collect Petunia’s clothes and necessities. After packing what they needed for her two month stay, they drove to Harry’s home where an expectant Hermione was frowning from the front stoop. She opened the door for Petunia and helped her into the house while Harry unpacked the car. Wordlessly, she showed her aunt to her new room and left her afterwards. Harry arrived a few moments later with a frown on his face as he began to unpack his aunt’s things.

“She doesn’t seem like the polite type,” Petunia mumbled as she helped put things away. She became winded easily and sat in a rocking chair they’d provided for her.

“Just have a seat, you’re in no condition to do so much work,” Harry said quietly. “Hermione doesn’t like any of you after she found out about the cupboard and how I was treated.”

“Vernon made the fuss about the cupboard,” Petunia said as she looked out the window into their beautiful garden. She sighed and a smile caressed her face, glimpsing her great niece running after a butterfly. “Lily’s a lovely little girl,” she whispered.

“Harry, tea is almost ready,” Hermione said coldly from the door, pointedly avoiding any attempt to recognize the older woman’s presence.

“We’ll be there in a minute, Love,” Harry said with a slight smile. Hermione nodded and left once again. “Aunt Petunia, it’s going to be a really rough time...” he turned to her and helped her stand. “I know we have nothing in common, but let’s try to put the past behind us.”

A/N: This was inspired by the movie: Nothing In Common starring Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason. I was suddenly hit with this idea this morning and it took me a good while to just figure out the name of the movie ;) Well, here it is, not fluffy, not overly dramatic, but drama in it's finest form: Real Life... Hope you like it ;)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 29)
Challenge: [Movie Week] Documentary
Title: The Crumple-Horned Snorkack: A Documentary
Word Count: 1,000

“There are many things which surprise people,” Luna Lovegood said in her interview with the new Wizarding Wireless Live Entertainment department. “Take Muggles, they spend their entire lives shielded and protected from our way of life. They have no clue that many magical creatures they thought were myth do, indeed, exist.”

“And what you’re saying, Miss Lovegood, is that you’ve found something that no living witch or wizard has ever seen?” Rita Skeeter asked curiously.

“That’s correct,” Luna said with a dreamy smile. “My boyfriend and I, along with my father and a few friends, went on an expedition to capture a photograph.”

“A photograph, is that all?” Rita asked with a smirk.

“Not just an ordinary photo, Rita,” Luna responded in a lazy voice, “but that of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack!” she finished excitedly.

“You, and your friends, went on a photo-shoot for a creature that appeared in your father’s tabloid, The Quibbler?” Rita asked skeptically. “Just how boring was your trip?” she added with a snort.

“Not boring at all,” Luna said with a smile, accompanied by her trademarked sing-song voice. “We’ve brought back several photos and poor Ronald was gored by one of the stallions.”

“Ronald? You mean Ronald Weasley?” Skeeter asked with a bit more enthusiasm than she had meant.

“That’s right,” Luna replied with a nod. “He and I have been dating since before I graduated Hogwarts.”

“Well, let’s take a look at your mission to capture this creature that has alluded everyone until now, apparently,” Rita announced with a flourish. “You’ll have to narrate as we swap each photo, which details moments in your expedition.”

Luna nodded as enlarged photographs were set on an easel. The first depicted the group as they prepared to leave. Harry and Hermione were checking their bags. He was saying something to the bushy-haired witch while Ron and Luna were talking about something entirely.

“My father isn’t in any of the shots as he’s manning the camera,” Luna explained as she recalled the moment. “Ronald and I were excited about the trip; the war had taken a toll on our cabin fever and when Harry defeated Voldemort we went on this trip. I’m not sure what Harry and Hermione Granger are talking about, but afterwards she seemed far more pleasurable than normal.”

The next photo showed a camp in a plush jungle. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were laughing around the campfire while Luna read a book.

“The others were enjoying the break we’d taken in our hike in the mountains,” she explained unenthusiastically, “while I was researching other creatures in the area. I was hoping we could find a Blibbering Humdinger while we were near its native habitat, but luck wasn’t with us that night.”

Another photo was presented of a different location but the same camp setting. Luna was gazing at the stars with Ron and the other two were not visible in the shot. Two glints of light flickered between the tents and were gone almost instantly.

“This was an exciting moment,” Luna said enthusiastically. “Ronald and I were talking about our futures when Father caught a glint of light from the eyes of a Snorkack! We’d missed him during our discussions and we soon found that they prefer to show themselves when nobody is paying attention to them.”

Another photograph was put on display. This one showed Ron flying through the air and unceremoniously colliding with the camera. There was a streak of brown and grey in the background that was soon engulfed by the green of foliage.

“This is where my poor Ronald met a large male Snorkack,” Luna explained sullenly. “He wasn’t seriously injured, well physically at least, and we began our chase of his assailant. We found that these creatures don’t leave many tracks, unless you’re not looking for them, and it was very difficult to follow its trail. You can see the standard coloring of an older stallion as it turns to flee right here,” she explained as she pointed to the blur.

The next presented photo caught a tall creature as it walked slowly across a ravine. Large, crumpled horns adorned its head and every few strides it turned and looked at the camera. Its glossy, brown and grey fur rippled in the sunlight as it traveled over a creek and then quickly disappeared from sight. The camera seemed to weave all over the place and the focus went in and out making it difficult to tell what was actually in the shot.

“This was our first, true sighting!” Luna exclaimed excitedly as she watched the photo repeat itself. “We decided that we weren’t going to look and Father began to take a photo of us all at the bottom of this ravine. His camera started going out of focus and when he tried to see what was wrong with it, the camera went off. It was such a surprise to find this image with everything else!”

“But that was a blur moving across the ravine,” Rita pointed out with the shake of her head. “The focus was off and the entire time, the camera wasn’t steady.”

“I did tell you that it wasn’t working properly for some reason,” Luna said with a half-smile and a shrug. “Father and I believe that we were able to capture a photo of one of the elder Crumple-Horned Snorkacks because we weren’t trying to actually take one.”

“That could have been anything!” Rita said with a snort of laughter. “It could have been an American Bigfoot or a Himalayan Yeti wearing an odd Viking cap!”

“The Sasquatch in the area confirmed that they weren’t out on holiday when the photo was taken,” Luna said with a smile. “Even the Poobah’s prankster son has an alibi for the time in question!”

“Thank you for your time and for bringing this... valuable... information to light, Miss Lovegood,” Rita said with a faux smile. “I’m Rita Skeeter and you’ve been watching The Crumple-Horned Snorkack: A Documentary. Good evening.”

A/N: Wee, just a bit late, and I'm the only one to write for the Documentary... Truth be told, I was at a loss on what to do myself ;) This was challenging. Sorry it's so late, now on to the other late responses!

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 30)
Challenge: [Movie Week] Romantic Comedy
Title: Summer’s Beginning
Word Count: 2,529

“How did I get here?” Harry asked in confusion as he sat on a bench at the side of a busy, London Road. “The last thing I remember...” Harry’s back straightened and his eyes went wide. “Voldemort...” he whispered in astonishment.

His heart began to race as he remembered the blue curse that struck him in the chest. He felt as if he were being torn in two but then remembered nothing. Harry woke in the park and wandered in a daze before he’d finally stopped at this very bench and sat down.

“Hermione’s wards... I didn’t die,” he said as he patted his chest and examined his pale hands.

“Even after three years you haven’t changed a bit!” a familiar voice said with a laugh behind him.

“Ginny?” Harry asked with wide eyes.

“It’s me, Harry,” the older woman said with a wide smile. “I know I’ve changed since you last saw me, even I can grow up you know.”

Harry laughed despite the strange situation he was in. “How long has it been now?” he asked trying not to sound too nervous or flabbergasted.

“You know very well that it’s been three years since you’ve defeated Voldemort,” Ginny said with a grin. “Where’s Hermione?”

“Haven’t you seen her?” Harry asked perplexed. Three years?!

“Are you alright, Harry?” Ginny asked quietly and sat next to him. “After you and Hermione got married I... I left...” she looked to her hands and gripped the strap on her purse.

“Why did you leave?” Harry asked while trying to hide the tremor in his voice. Married? We just started dating!

“I guess I owe you that explanation and why I’ve been avoiding Mum’s...” she said nervously. “How about we talk over tea?”

Harry’s stomach grumbled in reply and he nodded his agreement. They stood and after a quick look apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry stumbled forward and leaned against a nearby wall, suddenly feeling weak.

“Harry, are you alright?” Ginny asked in surprise. “I’ve never seen Apparation do that to you before!”

“I think I’m hungrier than I thought,” Harry said with a slight laugh. I don’t think I should do that again... he added silently.

“Let’s get a private room, we don’t need anybody else seeing either of us,” Ginny said quietly.

As soon as the two of them entered a private dining room, Tom appeared and took their orders, smiling warmly at the two of them. “I hope things get patched up this time,” Tom said with an encouraging smile.

“I suppose you remember our argument before I graduated...” Ginny said with a sad look in her eyes.

Harry nodded as the hurtful words she’d shouted at him echoed in his head again. “I was rather surprised,” he admitted quietly.

“I was jealous, Harry,” Ginny continued. “Jealous of Hermione and wondering why I wasn’t good enough for you...”

“Gin, we went over that...” he said quietly.

“I know, Harry,” she said with a sigh. “I couldn’t accept that you were in love with her and not with me. I took that kiss to mean more than what it was... Harry you don’t look well.”

“I feel drained,” he responded sluggishly.

“Let’s get you to a bed; you look like you need some sleep. We can talk more when you wake up.” Ginny said concernedly. She helped him to stand and with some effort got him into a bed on the next floor. Tom brought their dinners there and Harry passed out before he could touch his food.

Ginny watched the man she’d fallen in love with sleep peacefully in the large bed that took up the majority of the room. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the only man she’d ever loved and suddenly felt her head droop along with her eyelids. She glanced around nervously for a moment before looking back to Harry.

“He looks so content when he sleeps,” she whispered to herself as she felt her drowsiness return. “I need to sleep too,” Ginny said to herself as she gazed longingly at Harry. She stood and with the wave of her wand, transfigured her clothes into a short, silk nighty. Before she could change her mind, she slipped under the covers next to Harry.

Ginny’s heart beat faster and faster as she began to comprehend the position she was in. Harry rolled into her and wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her warm body into his. Her mouth went dry and she turned her head and inched closer to him. She felt his warm, ragged breath float over her lips and she closed her eyes. Ginny crept closer and closer, her lips almost touching his and paused for a moment to steady her racing heart.

“H-Hermione...” Harry whispered softly in an almost desperate way. Ginny’s eyes went wide and as quickly and gently as she could, extracted her body from Harry’s hold. Tears stung at her eyes as she transfigured two chairs into a cot and blanket and cried herself to sleep.

Harry woke the next day to the tear-streaked cheeks of the love of his life. “Hermione?” he asked in a sleepy daze. “I just had the strangest dream...”

“This isn’t a dream, Harry,” Hermione said gently as she slid his glasses on his face. He blinked wearily and saw she was speaking the truth. Sitting on the bed beside him was Hermione, only three years older and looking far more mature than he had imagined. “Why didn’t you come straight to me when you appeared here?”

Harry moved to a sitting position and wiped his eyes of sleep. “I don’t really remember much of anything before running into Ginny,” he said with a yawn. “Ginny...” Harry looked around the room quickly to find the younger Weasley missing.

“She told me where you were,” Hermione said evenly. “She said you didn’t look too well and seemed to be lost. What were you doing in an inn with her?”

“We were talking about why she left,” Harry said defensively. “I wasn’t feeling good and the last thing I remember she helped me into the bed.”

Hermione didn’t take her eyes off of his as he explained what happened and she was apparently satisfied with his telling of the events. “She’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said quietly. “Do you know what happened?”

“I don’t know how I ended up three years from where I’m supposed to be. I remember Voldemort hitting me with a curse with blue light and then waking up in the park,” Harry admitted sheepishly, noticing the ring on her finger. “So, we are married...”

Hermione looked to her hand quickly and smiled. “We are,” she informed him, “and we have to find a way to send you back or I’ll never see the Harry Potter I married again.”

“What?” Harry asked confusedly. “Is the future me missing?”

Hermione nodded. “It’s called temporal displacement,” she explained in her know-it-all tone of voice. “When Voldemort hit you with that curse something happened that caused my version of you to disappear as well. He was working on his first case involving a Time-Turner... He’d used the mirror that Sirius gave you to let me know he was on his way home and I saw that same flash of blue light before the mirror went dark...”

Harry winced at the tear that slipped from her eye and he instinctively hugged her. She melted into his arms but pulled away and shook her head. “Listen, I was in the middle of researching a way to get you back when Ginny called. Now that I’ve found you, it will be easier to get you back before it’s too late.”

“Too late for what?” Harry asked as he slid out of the bed.

“The longer the two of you are displaced, the less corporeal you become,” she said sadly. “If we can’t get this undone, then you’ll both cease to exist.”

“That sounds strange,” Harry said with the shake of his head. “When we saved Sirius we didn’t have that problem...”

“We used a Time-Turner then,” Hermione reminded him. “The energies from one keep this problem from occurring. You two swapped places because of dark magic, there’s no stabilizing force to keep you from fading away. Remember what I told you that year?”

“Terrible things happen to wizards who mess about with time or something like that,” Harry replied, deep in thought.

“This is one of those problems, Harry,” she said as she left a few Galleons on the table. “Take my hand and don’t try to Apparate or you’ll increase the speed of your deterioration.”

“Is he ready to go then?” Ginny asked as she stepped into the room with a bag of food. “And to think, I thought he hadn’t changed much from when I last saw him...”

“Take his other hand, Gin,” Hermione said coolly. “It’ll be easier to get him home with both of us.”

Ginny did as she was instructed and with a loud pop, the three of them Apparated into a large library. One look at the place told Harry that this was where Hermione spent most of her time.

“Where are we?” Harry asked as he was directed to a chair in the center of the room.

“You haven’t gotten your inheritance yet, Lov... err... Harry,” Hermione stammered. “This is... where we live. I’ll be right back; I have to let Mum know we’re here.” Hermione left the library for a few minutes and quickly returned, shutting the door behind her. “Lily, you can’t come in right now... Go on and play with Gramma Molly,” Hermione said in a whisper before she could shut the doors. “Daddy will be home soon enough, Sweetie.” Hermione shut the doors quickly then placed a locking charm on the door.

“Lily? Who’s that?” Harry asked curiously from his chair.

“You’ll meet her soon enough, Harry,” Hermione said quickly and went to a stack of books. She picked up a rather large one and began pouring over the information inside. “Eat, you’ll need your strength,” she ordered without looking up.

Harry didn’t argue the point and found that he was very hungry in any case. He’d started on his third sandwich when Hermione sighed. “What’s wrong?”

“It looks like we’ll need Voldemort’s wand to find the exact spell he cast,” Hermione growled. “The one you described was the last one he was able to use before you destroyed him... I thought we might need to use a priori incantatem to find out and luckily Ron should be here any minute with what we need.”

No sooner had she finished than another pop went off and Harry turned to see his other best friend standing there with an ashen face and gaping mouth. “Bloody hell! You weren’t kidding when you said he’d be here...” Ron crossed the room and clapped Harry on the shoulder with a smile, seemingly recovered from the initial shock of seeing Harry. “You’re quite the sight, Harry,” he said with a wide grin.

“You’ve put on weight, Ron,” Harry laughed in return, “I think it’s a pot-kettle issue in terms of looks.”

“Ha! Ha! Ha! Still the bundle of laughs, mate,” Ron said dryly. He turned to Hermione and handed over a long, rectangular box. “Here you are. It still hasn’t been tampered with. I had Bill check it over before I left, sorry for being late.”

Hermione gave him a quick hug after accepting the box. “That’s good,” she said with a smile and took Voldemort’s wand from its box. After discovering the curse Voldemort used it was a simple matter for Hermione to track down the counter-curse. “Harry, you’ll be running into yourself when we counter the last spell. You’ll need to cast the counter-curse again to send our Harry back.”

Harry nodded and read over the counter-curse. “How long do I have?” he asked quickly as they took their places.

“Not long, five, perhaps ten minutes at the most,” Hermione explained as she looked into his eyes. “Please hurry, if you don’t get him back in time, you’ll both disappear... Don’t let him touch you either!” she pleaded and quickly kissed him on the cheek before he could do or say anything. Hermione stepped back and raised her wand. “Here we go,” she said before waving her wand and reciting the incantation necessary.

Harry felt something akin to a Portkey’s effects overcome him and he stumbled forward into the same dark chamber he was in before the whole mess started.

“Not the effect I was going for, boy!” Voldemort spat at the panting, older version of Harry. “But you’ve been weakened enough!”

Harry didn’t have much time and did the first thing he thought of and sent a stunner at the Dark Lord. Voldemort spun at the unexpected voice of the younger Harry Potter just in time to catch the stunner full in the chest.

“What in the nine hells?” the older version of Harry asked as he too spun towards his younger self. “It’s about time you got here, Harry!” he spat impatiently.

“Sorry, but you know what happened,” Harry retorted as he rushed over to the taller, well-muscled version of himself. “We don’t have much time to fix this.”

“I know,” older Harry said as he got to his shaking feet. “The killing curse will rebound if you use it because of our blood... Use something simpler that will destroy his body completely.”

“The incineration charm should work,” Harry said as he brought his wand above his head. The older version of Harry did the same and the two shouted “INCENDIO” at the same time, engulfing the helpless Tom Riddle in a pyre of cleansing flame.

Harry turned to his older self and raised his wand again. “Who’s Lily?” He asked suddenly. “That’s Mum’s name...”

“Cast the spell before it’s too late!” the tall Gryffindor said hurriedly. Harry complied and just as he brought his wand into its final arc and the last word escaped his lips, his three-year-older version smirked. “She’s my daughter...” he said as he faded from view.

A strong fatigue overcame Harry and he collapsed to the ground, spent. Harry looked up to see Hermione rushing towards him, skirting the burning robes of the now deceased Tom Riddle.

“Harry!” she yelled in desperation as his vision failed and he blacked out.

Harry’s eyes fluttered open to a sea of white walls and linen. Floating amongst that vast ocean was a nodding ball of brown. He licked his lips and whispered hoarsely, “Hermione?”

Hermione’s eyes shot open and she rushed to his side. “Harry, how are you?” she asked desperately, cradling his face in her hands. Hermione slipped his glasses over his eyes and her tear-streaked face and puffy, red eyes came into focus.

“Tired,” he admitted with a grin. Her smile grew wide before she bent to kiss him.

“You had us scared, Harry!” she admonished him playfully.

“I’m here and we’ll be fine, Love,” he croaked before falling asleep to her beaming face.

“I love you, Harry,” he heard her whisper just before he was encompassed in comforting darkness.

A/N: There we are, my Romantic Comedy. There’s not much humor in it and it’s based off an Anime titled Kimagure Orange Road: Summer’s Beginning. You can find out more about it from A.D.V. Films. Hope you liked it! :) (and sorry it’s sooooo late!)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (August 2)
Challenge: A look at Harry & Hermione through someone else’s POV. (Friend, foe, mentor, stranger, animal...be creative!)
Title: What Does She Have That I Don’t?
Word Count: 1,240

It sickened her to see the two of them sitting there, bantering back and forth like an old married couple. She couldn't believe that Hermione Granger was touching his arm, again, and Harry Potter still hadn’t picked up on her flirting. Why is it that the one man she wanted, the one person who was her equal in every way, paid so much attention to someone as low-class as her?

“Hey, did you hear me?”

“What? Oh, Marietta, did you say something?” Cho Chang asked distantly, her gaze not wavering from the Gryffindor’s table.

“I said we’re going to be late for Arithmancy if you don’t snap out of it,” her friend said with mild irritation. “Are you still pining after Harry?” she asked incredulously.

“I’m not pining after him, Mari,” Cho deadpanned. “Let’s get to class.”

Though she had spoken the words Cho remained seated for a few moments longer, staring fixedly at the back of Harry’s head. It seems that’s all I’ll see of him... she thought glumly as she finally grabbed her books and left the Great Hall with her friends.

Classes went quickly for the Ravenclaw seeker that day. Her mind was everywhere but on what she was doing but somehow managed to maintain her awareness of what went on around her. Lunch was no better than breakfast when she watched Harry and Hermione laugh with their friend Ron Weasley.

“It’s not healthy to live in the past, Miss Chang,” Madam Pomfrey had told her earlier that year. “If you can’t get over his death, you’ll need counseling...”

The truth of the matter was that she wasn’t upset at losing her boyfriend, Cedric was merely a friend. It did hurt that he had been lost but the real reason she couldn’t contain her sadness was the way she’d used him to make Harry jealous. The guilt that had filled every corner of her heart tore her apart. She should have told Harry how she felt about him instead of goading Cedric into her selfish plans.

“It’s obvious that he’s moved on, Cho,” Marietta said with a sigh from her side. “He’s trouble anyway, why don’t you just let it go?”

“Mari, have you ever heard someone talk and you get shivers? Or when you see him your heart skips a beat and it feels like you’re about to fall over from dizziness because you realized that you’d stopped breathing?” Cho asked absently, looking to her plate for the first time since she sat down.

“I can’t say that I have,” Marietta said with a shrug. “I had a crush on Ron when we first started that club but I realized that they were breaking school rules and that it was wrong.”

“I’m not talking about a crush, Mari,” Cho said quietly, returning her gaze to The-Boy-Who-Lived. “What does she have that I don’t?”

“Harry,” her friend replied without thinking.

“That’s been blatantly obvious for a few years now,” Cho growled back. “I mean, she’s so plain and bookish... she doesn’t even like Quidditch! How can you not?” Cho shook her head and sighed when something occurred to her. “I’m going to talk to her.”

“What?!” Marietta asked incredulously.

“Harry doesn’t want to talk to me, why don’t I talk to Hermione? She’s nice, too nice, and won’t turn me away if I talk to her.” Cho said with a nod. “If Harry won’t tell me why he likes her, maybe she can tell me why she likes him.”

“Good luck with that,” Marietta said with a shrug. “I have a feeling that she doesn’t like you all that much, especially after everything that happened when you and Harry tried dating.”

“I wasn’t myself then,” Cho countered quickly.

“You’re not yourself now, Cho,” her friend replied just as swiftly. “Let it drop, there’s no way that Harry will look at you the same way again...”

“We’ll see about that,” Cho growled. “I think I can catch her while she’s watching Gryffindor practice.”

Cho Chang was rather nervous as she climbed the steps to the Gryffindor stands where Hermione traditionally sat as her best friends went through their paces on the pitch. She didn’t know what she was going to say or how she was going to say it but she finally plucked up enough courage to finally step into the light to a surprised Hermione Granger.

“Cho?” Hermione asked curiously, a slight frown appeared on her face but quickly vanished.

“Hi, Hermione,” Cho said nervously. “Do you... um... mind if we... ah... talk for a few minutes?”

“What do you want to talk about?” Hermione asked in that business-like tone that Cho had grown accustomed to hearing from the bushy-haired Gryffindor.

Cho cautiously sat next to the unofficial co-leader of the D.A. and stared nervously at her hands. “You’ve probably guessed already, but I was wondering if we could talk about what happened between Harry and me...”

“Why do you want to talk to me about that?” Hermione asked skeptically. “You should talk to Harry...”

“I would if he’d listen to me,” Cho admitted sadly. “I know things didn’t go well but I was curious why you two were so close. Harry told me that you were just friends, but it seemed to go deeper than that...”

“Honestly!” Hermione said while rolling her eyes. “Cho, nothing was going on between Harry and me when you two were dating... I don’t know why that’s so hard to believe!”

“It was at the time,” Cho countered with a shrug. “You two were always together...”

“Because we’re best friends,” Hermione said with a sigh.

“I know that... but there were things you did that made it look like so much more...” Cho said quietly, finally looking to Hermione’s perplexed face. “Don’t tell me that you didn’t realize how much he talked about you or how many times you’d touch his arm or he’d brush hair out of your face...”

“We didn’t do things like that...” Hermione said with a quivering voice, her eyes flicking to the streaking form of Harry on his Firebolt.

“You would always finish his sentences and both of you would communicate without talking,” Cho continued as her eyes followed where Hermione was looking. “Even now you’re looking at Harry. Every game, every practice, you watch him and only him... Can you honestly say that you two are just friends?”

Hermione was quiet for a few moments, watching her best friend zoom across the pitch after a flash of gold when her eyes widened. “No...” she said quietly, forgetting that Cho was sitting next to her. “Why didn’t I see it before?”

“So he was telling the truth?” Cho asked in shock.

“Why would he lie about that?” Hermione asked quietly, her cheeks beginning to turn pink. A soft smile suddenly crossed her lips and she turned to Cho with a look that made the Asian girl’s heart shatter. “I’m sorry, Cho, but I’ve got someone I really need to talk to!” With that, Hermione grabbed her things and rushed off to the pitch.

Cho watched in horror as Harry flew down to meet her, snitch in hand, and Hermione surprisingly threw her arms around his neck. She watched as Harry pulled back and she felt tears begin to sting her eyes when he swept her into a kiss.

“What does she have that I don’t?” her voice echoed in her head.

“Harry,” Marietta’s voice answered simply.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (August 3)
Challenge: [Musical Week] Love/Romance
Title: At the Beginning
Word Count: 1,153

Harry peeked nervously through a crack in the door he was standing behind and tried to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat.

“Harry, why are you so bloody nervous?” Ron asked as he adjusted his jacket. “How can you even stand these muggle clothes?” he grumbled in irritation.

“You were nervous!” Harry retorted as he adjusted Ron’s bow tie. “Do you have the ring?”

“It’s in my pocket,” Ron replied dryly as he fished the elaborate, gold band from the inside pocket of his jacket. “You and Hermione have been dating for a year and known each other for nine, there’s no reason to be nervous, Harry.”

“Tell that to the herd of Thestrals squirming in my gut, Ron,” Harry retorted irritably. “You know how I hate being the center of attention... I agreed to the big wedding because Hermione’s always dreamt of one.”

“Ignore the guests, Harry,” Seamus said as he stepped into the entranceway.

“Everything will disappear when you see Hermione, mate,” Ron said with a clap on his best friend’s shoulder. “That’s what happened with me when I saw Luna at the end of the aisle.”

“The same with me and Ginny,” Neville said with a sheepish grin as he joined his brother-in-law in an attempt to bolster Harry’s nerve.

“Lavender caught my eye and everything faded away but her,” Seamus said with a wistful smile. “I still can’t believe she’s my wife now.”

“Parvati and I had a traditional Indian wedding ceremony,” Dean said with a laugh as he adjusted his cufflinks. “I had no idea that Hermione was dead set on a Christian wedding.”

“Why does that surprise you?” Harry asked with a grin. “You’ve been raised in the muggle world as well and even had a non-wizarding wedding.”

“You know Hermione, always wanting to experience everything the Wizarding World has to offer...” Dean shrugged.

“Not quite,” Harry retorted with a laugh. “She’s curious and has a scary hunger for knowledge, but she still embraces her non-wizarding heritage.”

“The music started,” Ron said with a sly grin. “You’re the last to leave the Gryffindor Bachelor’s club, mate... time to slap on that ball and chain!”

Harry stifled a laugh as he took his place and opened the door just as they’d practiced the night before. He looked nervously at the large crowd of spectators and fought off the instinct to cringe when the flashes of cameras went off and instead smiled at everyone. After everyone was in position, the door at the far end of the church opened and the bridesmaids began their staggered walk down the aisle. Harry smiled at Ginny and Luna who were beaming at him and their husbands. Penelope’s and Percy’s daughter Margaret walked the path between the two rows of pews next. She was purposely placing each and every rose petal that she, as flower girl, had practiced innumerable times before. Maggie looked up at her Uncle Harry and ran to him towards the end, hugging him tightly about the waist to the laughter of those in attendance. Harry hugged her back and Penelope retrieved her daughter with a slight laugh.

The music changed and Harry tugged absently at his tuxedo jacket. He looked up to see Hermione on the arm of Albus Dumbledore, both were smiling widely. Albus looked every part the proud father as they walked towards the smiling Harry. Everything faded from his sight as Harry’s and Hermione’s eyes met; both of them communicating just how happy they were that this day had finally arrived.

“Who gives this woman away?” the minister asked with a soft smile.

“On behalf of her parents, I do,” Albus said with a wide smile then turned to lift Hermione’s veil. “Your parents would be happy to see you here today, Hermione,” he said quietly as he kissed her cheek. With a clap to Harry’s shoulder, he stepped back, allowing the two to join hands and the ceremony to commence.

“Harry and Hermione have prepared their vows,” the minister said and motioned for Harry to begin.

Harry looked into Hermione’s eyes, his smile not leaving his lips. “Hermione, nine years ago, we were strangers starting out on a journey, never dreaming what we’d have to go through. Now here we are and I’m suddenly standing at the beginning with you. No one told me I was going to find you. It was unexpected what you did to my heart. When I lost hope, you were there to remind me... This is the start.” A tear trickled down his cheek at the sight of the tears welling in her eyes and her wide smile. “Life is a road and I want to keep going. Love is a river I want to keep flowing. Life is the road... Now and forever this will be a wonderful journey. I’ll be there when the world stops turning. I’ll be there when the storm is through, in the end I want to be standing at the beginning with you.”

Hermione blinked away the tears in her eyes as he urged her to say her vows.

“Harry, before I really got to know you, we were strangers on a crazy adventure. I never dreamt how both our dreams would come true. Fear of the war and of our own feelings ruled our lives and now, here I stand unafraid of the future at the beginning with you. I knew there was somebody somewhere like me alone in the dark. Now I know my dream will live on and I’ve been waiting so long, Nothing’s going to tear us apart because Life is a road and I want to keep going. Love is a river I want to keep flowing. In the end... I want to be standing at the beginning with you.”

“Harry James Potter, do you take Hermione to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” Harry said softly as he placed a ring on her finger.

“Hermione Jane Granger, do you take Harry to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” Hermione said breathlessly as she slipped his ring on his finger.

“By the power vested in me by our Lord I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride,” the minister said with a wide smile.

Harry gently placed his hands on Hermione’s rosy cheeks and brought her in for a tender kiss to the hoots and cheers of those in attendance. They pulled apart smiling happily then turned to the crowd of friends, family, and other guests.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Harry and Hermione Potter!”

Applause erupted throughout the church which echoed off the walls. The cacophony of whistles, cheers, and clapping hands fell on deaf ears as Harry and Hermione walked back down the aisle, absorbed in their happiness and the person that was joining them at the beginning of their new life together.

A/N: This was taken from the animated film: Anastaisa. There is a song performed by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis titled At the Beginning which I used as the vows Harry and Hermione shared.

At the Beginning

We were strangers
Starting out on a journey
Never dreaming
What we’d have to go through
Now here we are
And I’m suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

No one told me
I was going to find you
Unexpected
What you did to my heart
When I lost hope
You were there to remind me
This is the start

(Chorus)
Life is a road
And I want to keep going
Love is a river
I wanna keep flowing
Life is the road
Now and forever
Wonderful journey

I’ll be there
When the world stops turning
I’ll be there
When the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

We were strangers
On a crazy adventure
Never dreaming
How our dreams would come true
Now here we stand
Unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you

(Chorus)

I knew there was somebody somewhere
Like me alone in the dark
Now I know my dream will live on
I’ve been waiting so long
Nothing’s gonna tear us apart

(Chorus)

Life is a road and I wanna keep going
Love is a river I wanna keep going on
Starting out on a journey
Life is a road and I wanna keep going
Love is a river I wanna keep flowing
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

Summer Writing Series Challenge (August 4)
Challenge: A Proposal...
Title: The Witness II
Word Count: 1,160

Harry was pacing around his sitting room again, his thoughts no longer on his impending date with the love of his life but upon his rather unique situation. Hedwig watched him silently, biting her lip in frustration.

“Harry, would you please stop pacing? It’s setting me on edge...” she said after a moment and squirmed in her seat once again.

“Why do you keep squirming around like that?” Harry asked as he sat in the chair across from the woman who was previously his owl.

She looked up with a reddening face and smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, but clothes feel strange.”

“Would you like me to transfigure them into something that fits a bit better?” Harry asked with a slight blush. “They are rather baggy on you...”

Hedwig sighed and nodded without a word. She closed her eyes and after Harry whispered a few words felt the clothes he’d provided her shrink to fit her body. He’d also transfigured the fabrics to a less scratchy material and she sighed in relief when she felt the smooth cotton caress her skin.

“Thank you,” she whispered after she looked down at his workmanship. “You asked if I wanted to be human...” she said softly, smiling gently when his face reddened.

Harry nodded. “Athena granted your wish...”

“She has, but I never expected she’d turn me into a human,” Hedwig admitted. “I wished I could talk to you and when you wished I could talk back Athena heard and granted both of our wishes.”

Harry buried his face in his hands as he nodded. “Does this happen often? Turning an owl into a beautiful woman?”

“Y-you think I’m beautiful?” Hedwig asked breathlessly.

Harry looked up quickly, his face extraordinarily red. “Y-yes... well... you are... you’ve always been... I mean as an owl...” he stammered nervously and got out of his chair, avoiding her gaze. “I just wanted to know what was wrong with you. You’ve seemed off over the past few weeks,” Harry explained as he went back to pacing around the room. “It seemed like you were sighing a lot, though I’ve never heard of an owl sighing before...”

“We do sigh, smile, and blush, just like humans do,” Hedwig said quietly. “And this isn’t a normal occurrence, at least from what I’ve heard. The last time I’d heard that Athena helped by providing a mortal with her intervention was with a clockwork owl she’d sent to a hero long ago... I just wanted to help you with her... Hermione. You seemed so nervous.”

“I guess you know that I wanted to propose to her tonight then,” Harry admitted with a soft chuckle. “I just can’t find the words to match what I feel.”

Hedwig got to her feet and crossed to the pacing Harry. “Please stop pacing... I know it helps you think but it’s making me nervous.”

“Sorry, you know I pace when I’m nervous or trying to think...” Harry said apologetically. “I just need to find a way to tell her how much I love her.”

Hedwig winced at the words and tried her best to hide the hurt in her eyes by turning to look at the row of photographs Harry had on his mantle. “Harry, you’re a charming and lovely man...” she said in a whisper as she gazed at a picture of him and her in her owl form.

“What?” Harry asked, looking up from the picture of Hermione he had in his hands.

Did I say that aloud? Blast it! Hedwig cursed to herself as she took the picture of the two of them from the mantle. She returned the photo to its proper place and turned to him. “I said that you’re a charming and lovely man,” she said with a blush. “You know just how stubborn I can be and Hermione’s very much the same... How did you win her heart, Harry?”

“I still don’t know,” Harry admitted as he slumped into his favorite chair. “To this day I can’t figure out what she sees in me.”

“You can’t mean that!” Hedwig said as she sat across from him. “Do you realize just how handsome, intelligent, caring, funny, and wonder... wonderful you are?” she said confidently then wavered into a whisper.

“I’m just me,” Harry said with a shrug. “I treat people the way I want to be treated...”

Hedwig crossed to Harry and knelt beside him on the floor. “Harry, you’re a truly marvelous man,” she said tenderly as she turned his face to meet hers. “It’s difficult to see the qualities in yourself that others do. Harry, you have so much to offer, if she’s anything like me... you’re her world,” she added in a whisper as she inched closer to his face.

“Hedwig...” Harry said quietly as she filled the last few inches between the two of them and their lips met.

Oh, Athena, thank you for this moment... She thought blissfully before pulling away from her beloved human. “You’re in love with her, Harry,” Hedwig said as she quickly backed away from the stunned man in front of her. “Be yourself, your beautiful and caring self. If she says no, I’ll be waiting for you...” With that, she ran to the window and ripped them open. In a flash of light, she transformed into her normal form and took to the night air, leaving one confused Harry Potter staring into the star-filled sky.

When Harry hadn’t returned to his flat that night, Hedwig knew, deep in her heart, that Harry had proposed and was now at the Burrow celebrating their engagement. She landed softly on the windowsill in the Burrow’s kitchen and listened to the laughter of those within. She felt her heart break when Harry walked into the room and smiled lovingly at her. She turned to leave but his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Hey,” Harry said gently as he stroked her feathers. “I’m sorry, Hedwig...”

You’re happy... That’s all I care about, Hedwig said silently. She nipped his finger tenderly, remembering the kiss she’d given him.

“I know you’re hurt, and if Hermione wasn’t in my life things might be different,” Harry said gently as he stroked her soft feathers. “I do love you, Hedwig, I always have. You and Hermione are the only two who have always been there for me, I hope you will accept things the way they are...”

If she were capable of crying in this form, she would have been crying right then. You’ll never lose me, Love... Hedwig vowed as she nipped his finger again.

“If you need time, I’ll understand,” Harry whispered as Hermione walked into the room.

Hedwig hooted and felt her heart break once again at the sight of her human rival who’d won Harry’s heart in the only way that mattered. She nipped his finger again and flew into the starry sky.

I’ll be back... she whispered in her mind as the Burrow disappeared behind her.

A/N: This was a unique way for me to conclude "The Witness", the original story from Wednesday July 7, 2004. As you can see, I kept the proposal intact and added Hedwig's proposal to Harry. Alas, this was a love that wasn't meant to be... *sigh* I hope you liked it! :)

Summer Writing Series Challenge (August 5)
Challenge: Harry. Hermione. Rain.
Title: When It Rains, It Pours
Word Count: 1,071

“Hermione, why don’t you come inside where it’s warm?” Robert Granger called from his daughter’s bedroom window.

“I’m fine, Dad,” Hermione droned as the rain buffeted her slender frame.

“You’re soaked to the bone, Pumpkin,” he said as he climbed out onto the roof to sit next to her. Robert wrapped an arm over her shoulders in a fatherly fashion. “Come inside before you catch your death.”

Hermione’s gaze remained upon some distant point that was hidden far beyond the horizon as she drew her knees to her chest as if she were a frightened little girl once again. “I’m fine, Dad,” she repeated mechanically.

“First of all, you’re sitting out in this deluge staring at nothing,” her father said in a barely controlled irritable growl. “Then I call you Pumpkin, which you usually get upset when I call you that. Now you’re in your nightmare, knee-hugging mode. It’s alright, Hermione, you can tell me what’s wrong.”

She continued to stare straight ahead for several silent minutes. Robert had begun to lose his patience when she tore her gaze from her unseen study and looked to him with hauntingly sad eyes.

“What is it?” He asked worriedly when he realized the water streaking down her cheeks wasn’t from the rain. For the first time, he noticed her haggard appearance. There were dark circles under her eyes. Hermione’s once vibrant skin was pale and lackluster. With her wet hair plastered to her face, Robert could barely recognize his daughter. Before she could speak, he pulled her into a tight hug that she returned with shaking shoulders and trembling hands.

He slowly helped her to her feet and the two of them climbed over the windowsill into her bedroom. The air inside seemed startlingly warmer than what they’d experienced on the roof and with a quick hand, he wrapped his shuddering daughter with the duvet from her bed. Kneeling beside her, he hugged her once again and held Hermione until he felt her sobs abate.

“What’s happened to make you so upset?” he asked again, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.

Hermione looked her father in the eyes, her terrifyingly sad gaze sending shivers down his spine. “Harry,” she whispered and her tears began to fall again.

Robert gently cupped her face with his warm hands and pulled her into another hug. “I see,” he said gently, trying to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “I know you miss him...”

“I love him, Dad,” Hermione whispered suddenly. “I love him so much that it’s tearing me apart...”

“Hermione, he’s been missing for three months...” Robert said softly.

Hermione hadn’t heard what her father had said and continued talking. “It was raining when he caught the snitch. It was raining when the Portkey the snitch was activated. It was raining when he left. I feel him when I’m in the rain, Dad,” she whispered.

“How can you feel him in the rain?” her father asked gently. “Your headmaster said they’d contact you when he was found... are you even sure he’s...”

“For the millionth time, he’s alive, Dad!” Hermione growled and pulled away. “I can feel it! He’s out there somewhere and he needs me! HARRY NEEDS ME!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, pulling out of her father’s embrace and standing defiantly before him.

“Hermione...” Robert pleaded as he stood to face his daughter.

“NO! HE’S ALIVE! He’s...” Hermione fell to her knees and began to sob once again. “He has to be alive... He has to...”

“Hermione,” her father said suddenly. She looked up and saw the look of shock on his face. Hermione followed his gaze and felt her heart lodge in her throat.

“HARRY!” she shouted at the top of her lungs and ran to the window where a very bloodied and worn Harry Potter collapsed into her room. She swept him into her arms and after a brief hug waved her now wielded wand over his body. “He’s in bad shape...” she whimpered as her father helped her lay him on the bed.

“Her-Hermione...” Harry croaked as his eyes flitted open.

“Shh... don’t talk, you’re in bad shape, we need Madam Pomfrey...” Hermione stuttered, trying to quell the hysteria that was building within her.

“Had to... see you one... last... time...” he wheezed as he weakly took her hand. Robert had already dialed a specific phone number that Dumbledore gave him for emergencies and moments later Albus Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey apparated in Hermione’s room.

The school nurse immediately went to the bed and began her analysis as Dumbledore and Robert pulled Hermione kicking and screaming from the room. A well placed sleeping charm from the old wizard made their task easier and she woke up several hours later on her parents’ bed. Her heart skipped a beat when she remembered that Harry was in her room and she immediately headed for the door.

“He’s gone then?” she heard her father’s muffled voice from the hall.

“Madam Pomfrey couldn’t do anything –” Albus Dumbledore replied when Hermione opened the door so quickly she startled both of the men.

“WHAT?!” Hermione yelled hysterically before running to her room to find her bed empty and stripped of its coverings. “Where’s Harry?!”

“He’s gone –” Robert tried to explain.

“NO! He can’t be gone!” she shouted desperately.

“Hermione, calm down!” her mother said as she entered the room.

“They’ve taken him to St. Mungo’s,” Robert said quickly before his daughter went completely off the deep end. “Your school nurse helped somewhat but Harry needed better care.”

“W-what?” Hermione asked bewildered.

“Miss Granger, Harry will be quite alright,” Dumbledore said with a soft smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

“H-he will?” she asked dumbly. “When can I see him? When will be released?” Hermione asked in rapid succession.

“You can see him now, but not for long,” Albus said with a soft chuckle, “and he’s going to be in the hospital for a few weeks.”

Hermione insisted they waste no time and with her wand in hand, she and her headmaster apparated directly to the lobby of St. Mungo’s. Dumbledore led the way and they stopped at an open door.

Tears came to Hermione’s eyes when she saw a pair of bloodshot, green eyes twinkling as their owner smiled at her entrance. Harry opened his arms, beckoning for one of her trademark hugs, and Hermione didn’t let him down.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (August 6)
Challenge: Non-songfic Songfic
Title: Health to the Company
Word Count: 2,099

The people sitting in the booths and at the tables of the newly relocated Leaky Cauldron looked downtrodden and dispirited. Firewhisky was the drink of choice, but a few were drinking butterbeer instead of the hard liquor that had destroyed so many lives.

Harry Potter was one of those few, along with his best friend and wife, Hermione. The two were struggling to keep their marriage secret, even from their mutual best friend Ron Weasley, who was partaking of his fifth shot of Ogden’s best.

Harry looked at his lost friend as he tried to drown his pain in the mind-numbing bliss of alcohol. Ron had lost his wife, Luna, and their only son to a surprise Death Eater attack four months ago. When the war broke out in full, his father had been on guard duty at Grimmauld Place while everyone was resting. Ron lost his father and older brother Charlie that night while everyone else was able to escape.

He sighed at the drunken stupor his best friend had made a habit whenever there was a break in the fighting and he had to fight the tears that were trying to escape. A soft hand landed on his shoulder and Harry looked to the sad face of his secret wife.

Their eyes met and they spoke of their love silently, wishing for the day when the secret could be released to the public. They’d made the mistake of announcing they were dating, but Harry and Hermione had secreted away one night to be married incognito. Neither knew if the other would live beyond the end of the war and both wanted their lives together to start as soon as possible.

“Why doesh life take everythin’ away, mate?” Ron asked drunkenly from his chair. His gaze was fixed on a newly filled shot glass and he blinked his bloodshot eyes in an attempt to keep his tears at bay. “How can you keep goin’, Harry?”

Harry glanced at Hermione before looking back to his friend. “It’s not easy, Ron,” he said quietly. “I’ve never known my parents... I can remember losing Sirius like it was yesterday...”

“Why Luna and little Charlie?” Ron asked with a sob. “My baby boy... THEY KILLED MY BABY BOY!” he yelled drunkenly before burying his face in his arms on the table. Everyone present had become so used to Ron’s outbursts that they didn’t look up from their own sorrows to regard the grieving man.

Hermione sat next to him and rubbed his back soothingly, wincing how his body shuttered with sobs. “I know it’s hard, Ron,” she said quietly. “I miss my parents too...”

Harry winced at her words, remembering well the bloodbath they’d arrived at after they’d gotten word that Death Eaters had targeted Hermione’s childhood home. It seemed to be a reoccurring pattern for them to arrive just in time to see the Dark Mark floating overhead and the anguish Hermione had gone through those first few weeks ripped Harry’s heart to shreds. The attack had been so brutal that the house was nothing more than a pile of matchsticks, her parents shredded by the deluge of splintered wood and concrete from the structure they thought would keep them safe. Hermione nearly took her life shortly afterwards and it took Harry the better part of three weeks to bring her from the brink of suicide.

The sad look in her eyes was replaced quickly with caring when she looked to her husband. Harry knew full well what she was thinking and without another word, he cast a sleeping charm on his redheaded friend. Ron’s sobs abated and he slumped fully on the table, sound asleep. Hermione rounded the table and sat in Harry’s lap, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. He held her tight as her nightly release of pain began and he fought with all his might to keep his tears at bay, to be strong for her.

“I’m here, Love,” he cooed quietly, rubbing her back lovingly. Her arms tightened around him but she didn’t stop crying.

So it was every night it seemed. The tantrums and the grief continued to escalate and no end to the war could be seen. Dumbledore and the elite of the Order, save Harry, Hermione and Ron, were on various missions at the moment. Each was attempting to ascertain any weakness in Voldemort’s forces. Many dark creatures had joined the fight against the light. How the Dark Lord had gotten Lethifolds from South America to join his cause was a mystery. They’d lost Diggle in the first confirmed Lethifold attack in the northern climes. Tonks would have followed in his footsteps had Remus not heard the creature skulking about their camp.

Hagrid and his brother Grawp were instrumental in bringing the giants to a neutral status. The race of humanoids couldn’t be convinced to join the side of the light, but when they were reminded that they would be working for wizards on either side, they chose to remain out of the quarrel.

Despite their minor victories, everyone knew that as long as Voldemort was alive, there would be no end to the war and they would eventually lose. An unheard of number of wizards had begun to flock to the Dark Army when they realized to stand against the onslaught meant certain death. Harry remembered the shock and revulsion he felt when some of the classmates he called friends, and Gryffindors at that, were found as casualties during their last battle. When he and Hermione spotted Lavender Brown’s blood-soaked, blonde locks splayed under her shattered Death Eater’s mask, they’d both fallen into a deep depression.

Hermione was still working through hers, Harry knew. He was able to push it aside, just as he’d done when he was younger. His wife needed him with her, to be strong. Everyone in the resistance needed him and he couldn’t let them down.

Harry shuddered violently as he remembered the vacant look in Lavender’s eyes and the writing tattoo on her arm. It was more than he could bear but he couldn’t show any weakness in front of his fellows.

“It’s ok, Harry,” Hermione whispered lovingly, “you can let it out...”

As if all he needed was her permission, Harry buried his face in her bushy hair and cried silently, mourning the friends he’d lost, those that were tricked into joining Voldemort, but mainly, he mourned for those who had lost someone dear to them. He knew how it felt to lose someone you loved and he didn’t wish that kind of pain on anyone.

Harry felt Hermione’s arms tighten around him as he released the pent up sadness that he’d bottled away and he loved her for that simple, yet profound act. Somewhere between his silent sobs, her comforting embrace and words, he found her lips. Everything washed away when he felt her soft, moist kiss in return. They broke apart a few minutes later and buried their faces in the crook of each other’s necks. A rising ball of guilt lodged firmly in his throat when he remembered that Ron was sleeping next to them, dreaming of the family that was stolen from him and his tears began anew.

Harry woke the next morning to the dead weight of Hermione in his lap, she’d also cried herself to sleep and the activities of the past few weeks had finally caught up with the group. He looked around the room blearily to see everyone slumped haphazardly over tables or in booths and he began to panic before realizing they were only asleep.

Hermione stirred from his lap and smiled apologetically. “Are your legs ok?” she asked sleepily.

Surprisingly, his legs hadn’t fallen asleep and he smiled slightly as he nodded. “You’re light as a feather, Love,” he whispered before kissing her good morning. She blushed at his compliment and he chuckled softly, amazed that he still had the same effect on her that he did when they’d first started dating.

Ron startled the two when he snapped into a full sitting position and looked dead ahead with unfocused eyes. He opened his mouth to speak and a voice that wasn’t his broke the silence of the room.

“One dark ship, one light crew, death awaits the one made from two. By sea and by air the attack shall commence, the war shall end without recompense.” His voice trailed off to the sound of escaping air and the redhead slumped back to the table, snoring loudly.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other with wide eyes. This was the second time that Ron had provided a prophecy, the first was when he predicted the death of his wife and son. The only one to hear the first one was Lavender Brown and it turned out that she was the one to kill the newest Weasleys.

Hermione slid from Harry’s lap immediately and began rousing the others just as the door the hidden pub swung open. It was a surprise to the person standing in the door when the entire common room spun with their wands drawn.

“I haff come vith good news!” Victor Krum said with his hands raised and forearms visible. “Durmstrang has decided to join us! I bring a ship full of soldiers!”

Hermione raced across the room and enveloped her old friend in a tight hug. “Victor!” she squealed happily as he laughed and wrapped his arms around her. They parted when Harry stepped up to the Bulgarian seeker and Krum’s trademark frown settled on his face. There was a tense silence as The-Boy-Who-Lived sized up his once-rival.

“You’ve lost weight,” Harry said with a wide smile and pulled the surprised man into a quick hug. “I didn’t think you’d make it...”

“Vell, there vas quite a struggle vith the Death Eaters, but ve vere victorious,” Victor said with a cunning smile. “Ve now haff three hundred broom cavalry and sailors!”

Everyone in the room brightened at the news. Harry looked to Hermione and they shared a knowing nod. The war was about to end and they’d be able to find peace for the rest of the world.

“How long will it be until we can begin our offensive?” Harry asked quickly as Tom began to bring out food and drink for everyone. Victor was served first, followed by the rest. Harry waved his hand to indicate he’d wait until everyone else had something.

“Ve can leave tonight,” Krum said as he hungrily started at his bread and stew. “There isn’t much ve haff to work on and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named cannot vard against the ship’s teleportation.”

Harry was finally served and he looked around at his companions. He wasn’t sure who would come back and who would find their final resting place on the fields before the overrun Hogwarts. He pulled Hermione into his lap and took his goblet of butterbeer.

“Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme! Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine,” he began to sing. He met each and every eye in the room as he continued the Irish song. “Come lift up your voices all grief to refrain, for we may or might never all meet here again!”

The room of men and women lifted their glasses in turn and belted out, “So here’s a health to the company and one to my lass! Let us drink and be merry, all out of one glass! Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain, for we may or might never all meet here again!”

Harry looked lovingly to Hermione and raised his glass to hers. “Here’s a health to the wee lass that I love so well. Her style and her beauty, there is none can excel! There’s a smile on her countenance as she sits upon my knee, and there is no man in this wide world as happy as me!”

The rest of the room laughed at her blush and sang their part once again when Ron stood defiantly. “Our ship lies at harbor she’s ready to dock... I wish her safe landing without any shock and if ever I should meet you by land or by sea, I will always remember your kindness to me!”

Having drained their goblets and eaten their fill, the contingent of witches and wizards left for the Durmstrang ship, singing the chorus over and over, clapping friends on the back and hugging family before boarding the magical Galleon. After all, there were two prophecies that needed to be fulfilled.

A/N: I ran across this Irish pub song (or is it a folk song? *ponder*) and images of people getting ready to face a battle came to mind. The story just took its own path and came out as it did. I hope you liked it. The lyrics that The Chieftains used follow (From The World Wide Over)... Wow, I'm surprised nobody pointed out my feaux paux there ;) It's fixed now... heh heh heh

Health to the Company (The Chieftains) (* = chorus)
Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

*So Here's a health to the company and one to my lass
*Let us drink and be merry, all out of one glass
*Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
*For we may or might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the wee lass that I love so well
Her style and her beauty, there is none can excel
There's a smile on her countenance as she sits upon my knee
There is no man in this wide world as happy as me

*

Our ship lies at harbor, she's ready to dock
I wish her safe landing without any shock
and If ever I should meet you by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

*